5L5 



Rubber tree, which is always found among charrals or shrub 

 growth. There is a disadvantage in the first cost of this method, 

 it being more expensive to fell all the virgin forest than a part of 

 it, and at the same time leaving the ground more encumbered; and 

 the clearings for the first two years are more frequent than in the 

 "light shade" method, after which time they run about equal. 

 Time is needed to show which of the two systems is the better; in 

 results the "heavy shade" and "in the open" Rubber trees have 

 both turned out failures, and are not being repeated where they 

 have once been tried. 



The only kind of Rubber planted in the Valley is the Castilloa 

 elastica, and most of it on the flats at an altitude of 400 feet and 

 less above sea-level, though one of the newer plantations — that of 

 Mercedes Quesada is somewhere about the 1,500 feet level. 



Many of the foreign settlers are at present hanging lire to see 

 what the U. S. Government determines on the Isthmian Canal 

 question. Should the Nicaraguan route be voted for, hundreds of 

 families would be down in a short time from the States ; in the 

 other case many will draw out and abandon what they have in- 

 vested in. 



The following is a list of settlers who have made Rubber-plant- 

 ing their business in the San Carlos Valley : — 



1. Messrs. Umfried and Schoch, at the head of Tabla Grande 



with 40 hectares (100 acres) which they started to plant 

 4 years ago. 



2. Messrs. Koppenstadt and Gillett, in Banco de la China, 3 



hectares, all planted 6 years ago. 



3. Mr. A. Long, below the mouth of Arenal river, 37 hectares, 



all planted at different dates since 1897. 



4. At the mouth of the river "Tres Amigos", an American 



family the Hogans, are at present making preparations to 

 plant Rubber on a large scale. 



5. Mercedes Quesada has about 6 hectares of 6-year-old Rub- 



ber on his estate in very good condition. 



6. Messrs. Kotelmann and Heynsohn have about 6 hectares of 



6-year-old Rubber planted for them by Mr. Koschney in 

 excellent condition and has had one tapping. 



7. Mr. Koschney has on his estate 25 hectares of 2-year-old 



trees, 11 hectares of 1 -year-old Rubber and t6 more 

 being planted. 



8. Mr. Koschner together with other planters have planted in 



Cano Negro 4 hectares barely a year old, many of the 

 trees being now 2 metres high, 100 hectares being now 

 actually planted and preparation being made to plant 

 350 hectares more. 



9. Mr. Long has in Cano Negro 6 hectares planted about one- 



year old and is preparing to plant 30 hectares more. 

 [O. Max Bergmann has several hundred trees planted in Cano 

 Negro, 1 to 3 years old. all in good condition. 



