6 



facilities for obtaining workmen, the mode of paying them (by day, by 

 task, with advances, etc.), on the distant apart that trees are to be 

 planted, whether the land is to be used exclusively for rubber or not,, 

 and on many other considerations. 



The figures expressed herewith, therefore, do not pretend to a 

 rigorous exactitude, but will serve as a guide for the agriculturist. 



•'We will suppose that the trees are to be planted at 8 varas (1 vara 

 = 33 English inches ) distance, so that each will have an approximate 

 area (with space occupied by shade trees) of 64 square varas, which 

 we believe necessary for their proper development, thus allowing 

 approximately 10,000 trees to the caballeria (112 acres) ; cost of land 

 at $400 ($175.60 in United States currency) * per caballeria, a price 

 somewhat high, as some coast land (hot) adequate for this cultivation 

 can be purchased in Guatemala for less ; but we have adopted this 

 figure, as, according to existing laws, it is the average cost of public 

 lands in the Republic. 



Guatemalan United States 





currency. 



currency. 



Cost per manzanaf 



T 



6.25 . 



$ 

 2.74 



Fencing per manzana 



10.00 . 



.. 4.39 



Nursery, at $10 per 1,000, say, for 159 







plants 



1.59 . 



.69 



Preparation of ground and arranging 







natural shade, per manzana 



8.00 . 



.. 3.51 



Planting 159 trees to the manzana ... 



3.00 . 



1.32 



Gleaning by machete, four in first 







year 



16.00 



7.02 



Three cleanings in second year 



12.00 . 



5.27 



Two cleanings in third year 



8.00 



3.51 



One cleaning each year from fourth 







to sixth, inclusive 



12.00 . 



.. 5.27 



Interest on invested capital, at 10 per 







cent, for ten years 



68.78 .. 



.. 30.19 



Management, etc. 



4.38 



.. 1.92 



Total cost in Guatemala (200 per 

 cent, premium is ruling rate on 

 gold to-day; of 159 trees occu- 

 pying a manzana of ground, 



and 10 years old ... 150.00 ... 66.00 



" From the foregoing calculation it may be seen that a plantation 

 of, say, 100,000 trees requires 10 caballerias of ground (besides ^that 

 which may be necessary for building, huts, etc.^, and would cost, after 

 ten years, about $95,000 ($41,700), 



* The value of the Central American peso, or dollar, was estimated by 

 the United States Director of the Mint, January 1st, 1899, at 43.9 cents, 

 f Square of 100 varas, or 275 feet. 



