THE MALAY PENINSULA 223 



Indeed, many experienced men are strongly of opinion 

 that a marked decrease will take place in 1914. The 

 minimum average cost for the next five years should 

 not exceed i shilling (424 cents) per pound of rubber 

 f.o.b., distributed as follows, and with the same con- 

 ditions regarding depreciation, etc., as in 1911 : 



Cents. 



1. Collecting and tapping 20 



2. Curing and preparation for market 4 



3. Weeding 2 



4. Cultivation and roads and drains 2 



5. Management 5 



6. Hospital, etc 2 



7. Transport 4 



8. Commissions 4 



9. Shipping charges 4 



10. Rent i 



11. Contingencies 24 



12. Export duty or assessment 24 



Total 424 



(Equal to i shilling per pound of dry rubber f.o.b. 

 Port Swettenham, Penang, or Singapore.) 



From the average cost of production and the estimate 

 of ultimate minimum cost, it will be seen that the 

 principal expenditure is for the collection of latex, 

 weeding, and cultivation all items dependent on the 

 wage rates. It has been pointed out that the cost of 

 collection of latex should decrease rapidly as the 

 trees become older and the yield greater. So, also, 

 weeding will become cheaper as the trees give more 

 shade; indeed, when the trees on an estate average 

 eight years old, the cost of weeding should be reduced 

 to, practically, a negligible quantity, as the work will 



