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of being tapped during the next three or lour years possess a very 

 valuable adjunct to their tea or their coconuts goes without saying, 

 but what we should all like to know is what range of prices are 

 likely to be ruling, say, six years hence, when the rubber now being 

 extensively planted in the Straits, in India, and in Ceylon, comes 

 gradually into bearing. So tar as one can see the re is no likelihood 

 of any great reduction in price. The demands of the markets of 

 the world, even at the high prices now ruling, arc ever on the in- 

 crease, and so far have been almost entirely met by a supply ol 

 coarsely cured wild rubber. What we have, therefore, to consider 

 is this — -to what extent will supplies ol cultivated rubber affect the 

 market six and eight years hence when all the rubber now planted 

 in British India and the Straits comes into bearing. Hitherto, 

 no verv reliable estimates have been framed as to the extent of the 

 area now under rubber, but about 1,000,000 trees were supposed 

 to be put out in Ceylon by the middle of last year. This is of itself 

 no very large quantity, when it is remembered that the total con- 

 sumption of the world is estimated at about cwts. 1,250,000. But, 

 although that is a very large quantity of rubber, it is well to point 

 out that it represents only 1 lb. per annum from 140,000,000 

 trees — or 2 lbs. per tree from 400,000 acres at 1 75 trees to the acre. 

 This is a vast quantity, undoubtedly, but it is not so very over- 

 whelming. Many, many years must elapse, no doubt, before any- 

 thing like this quantity of rubber is produced from cultivated areas, 

 but it is well to have the position brought into proper perspective. 

 For some years to come no appreciable effect is likely to be pro- 

 duced upon prices by cultivated rubber, so far as we can see ; but 

 it is of course, only a question of time. With continued expansion 

 of the area under this valuable product, the production will steadily 

 increase, and tend hereafter to depress prices, and for this all 

 careful men should be prepared. For ourselves we are inclined to 

 think that the area in the island thoroughly suited for the produc- 

 tion of Para rubber is not so unlimited as some people seem to 

 imagine. Whether this be so or not we are still far from possessing 

 an area under cultivation in rubber likely to influence prices ad- 

 versely. But, with extensions in other parts of British India 

 rapidly proceeding, the day must come when the markets of the 

 world are affected. And this fact should not be lost sight of. 

 The present price of 4.?. and $$. a lb. cannot last for ever, but there 

 is this undoubted safeguard — that cultivated rubber, when available 

 in any appreciable quantity, will always displace an equal amount 

 of the uncultivated product. The latter costs much to collect, and 

 any substantial fall in price would inevitably drive it out of the 

 market at once, leaving space for vast supplies of the better prepared 

 and purer product of British India and the Straits. 



From the " Times of Ceylon. ' 



Thursday, March 3rd, ryoM 



