140 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



With a drop in the value of rubber to is. 6d. per 

 pound, these charges, with the exception of that for 

 freight, will be reduced automatically. 



From the data given, it will be seen that the actual 

 necessary cost of Ceylon rubber from estates with trees 

 averaging twelve years of age should not exceed gd. to 

 zod. per pound placed in the London market. In 

 several cases the total cost has been brought below that 

 figure already, and a further reduction is anticipated in 

 the near future. 



In opening up an estate on jungle lands, the work of 

 felling the timber, lopping, and burning, is given out to 

 contractors, the usual price paid being Rs. 15 per 

 acre. Lining, holing, and filling, costs Rs. 4 per acre. 

 Weeding is done by contract at Rs. 2j per acre 

 per month for the first year, Rs. 2 per acre per month 

 the second year, and Rs. ij per acre per month 

 the third year. The price is then gradually reduced 

 until it reaches 60 cents, or sometimes as low as 

 50 cents, per acre per month, and it continues to be an 

 annual charge at this rate. In Ceylon trees have been 

 planted at varying distances apart during past years, 

 but the measurements hitherto accepted as most satis- 

 factory are 20 feet by 15 feet, giving 149 trees to the 

 acre ; there is, however, a growing tendency towards 

 wider planting and a reduction of the number of trees 

 to 100 or less per acre. As a rule two-year-old stumps 

 are used in planting an estate ; but some very success- 

 ful results have been obtained from planting seeds, 

 although there is always danger of injury from rats and 

 other pests. The planting of catch crops between the 

 lines of rubber-trees is now generally deprecated as 



