thermore the lands that have been devoted to a prolonged culti- 
vation of plants, like coffee, tea, etc., are to a large extent ex- 
hausted, and if rubber trees were attempted to be planted there, 
the result would be that it would largely lose the advantages by 
having to fell new trees. 
Mr. Le Cointe also speaks of about 225 trees per kilogram, 
when practically that number can be doubled; besides this the 
calculation made by the same author of about $18 for the clear- 
ing of the hectar, at the rate of $14 per day for each workman 
shows that the price for that work in almost clean land will take 
sixty-two days, whereas in the Amazonas we only count on 
twenty-six days for each clearing of a hectar in a virgin forest. 
This argument, it seems to me, shows that there is a purpose 
to bring up a cheapness which is more apparent than real, with 
the determination of recommending the Asiatic plantations to 
the detriment of the Amazonas rubber plantations. 
This plan of attack is not the most correct one. We have 
the advantage of having workmen who easily adapt themselves 
to the producing land, and with the measures of protection that 
the Government is going to guarantee to the rubber planters, 
the life of the contractor is going to become easier. 
The tree which is planted in its own region, is less subject 
to ravages, being less persecuted by the destroying parasites, is 
not violently fell by hard winds. 
As every day increases the number of industries which re- 
quires rubber as a raw material, it is therefore necessary tu 
exploit it in different centers, counting even with possible dis- 
aster, but nowhere in the world, in accordance with the most 
reliable statistics, is there more favorable land for the planting 
of rubber trees than in the various territories of the Amazonas. 
That territory has been placed by nature to be the emporium of 
that industry, and counts with all the means to preserve that 
privilege, and for the guarantee of the planter as soon as the 
rubber tree develops itself, it has other resinous trees suitable for 
construction, and excellent fibres which can be sold at a profit. 
The Brazilian walnut is so abundant there that it is a second 
source of income in the State of Amazonas. 
THE PRODUCTION OF RUBBER 
Only during the first six months of this year, notwithstanding 
that the time for the full crop was not as yet due, from Manaos 
there were exported to the United States 2,328,389 kilograms of 
fine rubber, 602,180 medium quality, sernamby 991,088, caucho 
122 
