igo THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



against revenue. Therefore the estimate given is a fair 

 one for an estate of 1,000 acres planted with 100 trees 

 to the acre, and properly cared for from the commence- 

 ment. As the trees grow older and the yield increases, 

 the costs of tapping and collecting per pound of rubber 

 should substantially diminish ; this should be the case 

 also in somewhat lesser proportion with the other items 

 of expenditure. At the present rate of costs from the 

 Malay Peninsula to date of sale in London or Liverpool, 

 a sum of i^d. per pound of rubber must be added to 

 the aforesaid cost of production, and this will bring 

 the total costs per pound to is. 4d. If the price of 

 rubber drops below 2s. per pound, the ad valorem charges 

 for duty, commissions, and brokerage, will be propor- 

 tionately reduced, and the total cost up to date of sale 

 would be approximately is. 2d., still leaving a sub- 

 stantial net profit to the producer. 



The yield of an estate properly cared for is taken at 

 300 pounds of dry rubber per acre at six years old ; but, 

 as is shown later on, all the indications are that well- 

 grown six-year-old trees in Malay frequently give a 

 greater return than 3 pounds per tree. It is better, 

 however, to be on the safe side. The quality of the 

 rubber made in nearly all the factories, whether crepe 

 or sheet, is distinctly good, although the colour is not 

 quite so bright as the Ceylon product, probably on 

 account of the discoloured water common to the Penin- 

 sula. The percentage of first latex and lump is low ; 

 on many estates it only averages 70 per cent., and scrap 

 bark and earth scrap 30 per cent. In a few cases, as at 

 Kamuning, the return was 82 per cent, first latex and 

 lump, and 18 per cent, scrap bark and earth scrap. 



