130 RUBBER PLANTING ON THE 



THIRD LETTER. 



CLEARING AND BURNING BY CONTRACT DANGER FROM FIRES GATHERING CAS- 

 TILLOA SEED TESTING SEED COSTLY SEED FAILURES TRACK WALKING UNDER 

 DIFFICULTIES THE BOSTON RUBBER TREE MORNING GLORY VINES ARRIVAL AT 

 SANTA LUCRETIA A CONDENSED MILK LESSON COATZACOALCOS SLEEPING IN THE 

 "BiRD CAGE" UP THE USAPANAPA AND CHICHIGAPA RIVERS PLANTATION 

 RUBIO A FINZ ''BODEGA" ON HORSEBACK THROUGH MILES OF RUBBER THE 

 TAPPING PROBLEM. 



THE planters in the Trinidad River district were so well informed, 

 and so ready to impart their knowledge to one interested, that 

 I felt as we journeyed back to La Buena Ventura that I was 

 getting a pretty good grasp on the rubber planting situation. I 

 had learned, too, specifically, what clearing, burning, planting, lining, 

 staking, and cleaning involved. Indeed, as luck would have it, I ran 

 across some of the men who take the contracts for cleaning, at various 

 times during my journey. In certain cases the planters clear their own 

 land. They prefer, however, to let it out by contract, as it does not cost 

 so much, and is one less burden for them to bear. In Vera Cruz, clear- 

 ing is usually done between the middle of February and the last of 

 April. The contractor brings a large force of men who fell everything, 

 the axemen handling the big trees, and the many machete men lopping 

 branches, cutting vines, and arranging all for a good burn. If the work 

 is well done, and at the right time, the mass of fallen litter gets at least 

 a month of hot, dry weather, which dries out the fallen timber almost 

 beyond belief, and gives weeds and climbers no chance to spring up. 

 This part of the work is very important, because if a poor burn takes 

 place, it involves the cutting and piling up of half burned tree trunks, 

 and a second burning, which is costly. It is figured that in this work 

 twenty-five men will clear about half an acre a day. 



During the burning the planters are always on the watch to keep 

 the fire from spreading, not only into the virgin forest, but into adjacent 

 planting's. The danger from fires carried by subterranean roots which 

 may smoulder for days, and then burst into flame, is no slight one. 

 Indeed, several cases have occurred where the fire has spread into cleared 

 land, and destroyed many hundreds of valuable rubber trees. To cite 

 one case in point, it might be well to recall the loss of the Varney Rubber 

 Co., who had a plantation on the Tehuantepec Railway, and who lost 



