CHAPTER XIX. 



ESTIMATES OF RUBBER PLANTERS IN CEYLON: 

 COSTS OF PLANTING RUBBER. 



Estimate I. by E. Gordon Reeves, Rs. 322-40 per acre at end of 5th 

 year for Matale — Estimate II. by F. J. Holloway, Rs. 283-50 per acre 

 at end of 6th year — Estimate III., Peradeniya District for first 

 two years-^Estimate IV., Kalutara District for first six years — 

 Estimate V., Ambalangoda District for first two years — Estimate 

 VT., Ambalangoda District for first two years in swampy land 

 — Estimate VII., Ambalangoda District for first two years. 



f j^HE cost of clearing, draining, and planting up large acreages of 

 _L Para rubber necessarily varies according to. the condition of 

 the forests to be cleared, the nature of the land, and the rates of 

 wages paid, &c. The following estimates have been kindly supplied 

 to me by friends in Ceylon (Rupee = Is. M.) :— 



ESTIMATE I. 

 Estimate or Cost of Purchasing 100 acres of Land and Planting 



with Para Rubber. 

 Cost of 100 acres of Land — 



Rs. c. Rs. 



Forest say @ Rs. 60 per acre ) M 



Chena „ 40 to Rs. 45 S bd * 5U u P ei dCie •• J > wu 



Clearing — 



100 acres Forest @ Rs. 20 per acre ) ., , n . _„ 



100 acres Chena @Rs 15 to Rs. 17 f say 1 7 50 per acre ..1,750 



Nurseries and Seeds — 40,000 seeds at 



Rs. 7 per 1,000 . . ..280 



30,000 Baskets, Rs. 4 per 1,000 .. 120 



Making nurseries, including sheds for 



basket plants, sowing seed . . 60 



Upkeep, watering for 3 months regularly 30 

 Further occasional attendance for six 



months . . . . 20 



. . 510 

 Roads and Drains — at Rs. 6 per acre . . . . 600 



Lining — say 15' by 15' — about 200 trees per acre, including 



cost of pegs, @ 75 cents per acre ... . . 75 



Carried forward 7,935 



