COST OF LAYING OUT ESTATES 139 



As against this outlay, the estimate of rubber 

 returns for the fifth year (1910) was more than 

 realised. It amounted to 5120 Ib. , and sold for 

 55. id. per Ib. net. The estimates for 1911 fix the 

 output at 30,000 Ib., the greater portion of which 

 has actually been sold forward at 55. per Ib. It is 

 quite evident therefore that the proprietors, with ordi- 

 nary luck, will not be long in recovering the whole 

 of their initial outlay, with the prospect of possess- 

 ing a fine, heavy dividend-paying property for many, 

 many years. Rubber land in the Malay States, the 

 Dutch Indies and in Borneo is produced at about 

 20 per acre, whilst in Madagascar, German East 

 Africa, French West Africa and Mozambique, 

 countries that all exploit the Manihot Glaziovii on a 

 large scale, the cost of bringing a rubber-planted 

 area into full bearing is not more than 12 per acre. 

 It is in this respect that Ceara will always attract the 

 planter with a limited purse. 



The clearing of land for Ceara, as already ex- 

 plained, proceeds on much the same lines as that for 

 Para, with the exception that the drainage must 

 if possible be carried right through the planta- 

 tion in a series of shallow ditches i foot wide 

 and 1 8 inches deep. When ready for planting 

 which may be either by cuttings or seed at 

 stake the ground should be fenced with wire- 

 netting 2 feet high to keep out rodents and wild pig, 

 which are inordinately fond of young Ceara roots, 

 and will soon clear a field if left to themselves. 



All this work is more satisfactorily and econo- 

 mically done by contract, a fact which also applies to 



