172 



The Future of the Rubber Market 



is beyond human gauge. It is not fair to take the present price of 

 6s. 3d. as a normal one. The correct price of rubber is the average 

 for the past three years, say, about 45-. 6d. or 4^. gd. During the 

 next six or eight years, however, until plantation rubber comes for- 

 wards in very big quantities, I would prefer backing a I*. rise than 

 a is. fall in rubber." 



Seed Exportation. 



"I would not allow a single seed to leave the island/' said Mr. 

 HOFFMAN in favour of the export duty on rubber seed. " But after 

 all," he continued, (( it is only staving off the evil day when the seed 

 will be planted throughout the East?" 



The Government Land Policy. 



Mr. HOFFMAN would not criticise our Government's land policy, 

 as he thought that Ceylon men had better opportunities than out- 

 siders of getting land. The difficulties and delays are infinitely more 

 easy to surmount by the local man than by the London financier. 



Questioned as to how Ceylon could preserve its good name at 

 home, Mr. HOFFMAN said " The only thing that can be done is to 

 educate the public to discriminate for themselves." 



Ti?nes of Ceylon. 



April 12///. 



RUBBER IN COORG. 



The planting of Ceara rubber will be largely extended during the 

 coming season, as the success of this species is assured. There 

 should be no difficulty about the germination of the seed, as numer- 

 ous plants grow up from seed shed by old trees. The filing of the 

 seed accelerates germination. In one case seed scattered in an 

 uncleared forest is coming up successfully. A ryot near here has 

 found himself in possession of three seed-bearing Ceara trees, which 

 were planted by a former occupant of the land. He is showing 

 commendable enterprise in collecting the seed with a view of plant- 

 ing it out this season. It was in 1887, I think, that large numbers 

 of Ceara plants were put out on the Sampaji Ghauts. If the lantana 

 has not entirely choked these out their exploitation now might pay. 



Rubber Land. 



In the Prospectus of the Perak Rubber Plantations, Ltd., it is 

 stated that "all the rubber trees are planted on virgin soil, which is 

 infinitely preferable to planting on old coffee land, the soil of which 

 is partly exhausted, as is the case with many plantations in Malaya." 

 Statements like these would tend to depreciate properties of the 

 latter description without sufficient reason ; for coffee, as a crop, is 

 not exhaustive of the soil (JOHN HUGHES). 



Rubber in Madras, 



In a letter to the Madras Mail, dated the 8th September, 1905, 

 Mr. J. CAMERON wrote : — " The Western Ghauts contain a mile of 



