(rums, Resins, 



in working it up to prevent a soft pro- 

 duct resulting. Recent tests, however, 

 have been more satisfactory, and with 

 improved methods in cultivating, collect- 

 ing, coagulating and preparing (plant- 

 ation) rubber, it is confidently expected 

 that the future product will approxi- 

 mate fine hard Para in every important 

 test." 



Probable Output. 

 Mr. Figart's view, that nothing de- 

 finite can be said about the probable 

 output of rubber is a statement of 

 importance. At the same time, he quotes 

 the subjoined estimates of two promin- 

 ent rubbermen, which are very close 

 to each other, which he characterizes 

 being " as good estimates as can be 

 obtained," 



Production, 1910. 

 Malayan alone 14,368,856 lbs. (or about) 6,150 

 Ceylon alone 3,298,652 „ 1,450 



Total Far East 17,667,515 „ 7,900 



Estimate No. 1 (Malaya alone), 





Tons. 



1910 



6,450 



1911 



11,000 



1912 



18,000 



1913 



24,000 



1914 



33,000 



1915 



45,000 



1916 



.65,000 



Estimate No. 2 total (for Par East). 



1910 "... 7,900 



1911 16,000-17,000 



1912 25,000-30,000 



1913 40,000-45,000 



1914 55,000-60,000 



1915 70,000 



When figures in respect to Ceylon, the 



Netherlands Indies, Burma, etc., are 

 added to those from Malaya in Estimate 

 No. 1, the result will be very close to 

 that shown by the second estimate, 



Market Value and Dividends. 



In connection with these points Mr. 

 Pigart remarks that the following con- 

 ditions may be assumed :— 



Cost of production 36 cents per pound ; 

 (some estates now turning out rubber 

 for less than 24 cents), 



[Mat, 1912. 



Selling Price, 2 shillings, or 48 cents. 

 Profit, 12 cents per pound. 



On the basis of the two estimates pre- 

 viously referred to of 400 and 577 pounds 

 per acre for ten-year-old trees, it is 

 calculated that the profit per acre would 

 be respectively $48 and 169. Taking even 

 the lower figure, it is shown that in 

 the cases of seven estates chosen in- 

 discriminately, the profit would repre- 

 sent for original investors from 17'4 per 

 cent, to 61 '5 per cent., while on the 

 present high market values the shares 

 would pay from 2*6 per cent, to 6 per 

 cent. These results, it is urged, show 

 the sound basis of the industry, even 

 with appreciated share values. 

 Labour. 



A constant increase is recorded in the 

 arrivals of Chinese immigrants at both 

 Singapore and Penang ; the number 

 landed at the former port in 1910 having 

 been 216,321, as against 151,792 for 1919. 

 The number arriving at Penang was 

 59,414 ; being 37 per cent, in excess of that 

 recorded for the previous year. It being 

 calculated that by 1920 there may perhaps 

 be a million acres of rubber trees in 

 Malaya, as compared with about one- 

 third that area at present under cultiva- 

 tion, this possible three-fold increase 

 would necessitate a labour force of 600,000 

 to 700,000 coolies against the 200,000 at 

 which the present number has been esti- 

 mated. The prospective increased cost of 

 the coolie labour required to meet the 

 needs of the estates is a factor to which 

 Mr. Pigart calls attention, as possibly en- 

 hancing the cost of Malayan rubber 

 production. 



Crops. 



A distinction as to accessory crops is 

 drawn between catch-crops and cover 

 crops. The former description is grown 

 for the purpose of getting revenue 

 during the first four or five years up to 

 the time when the rubber is at the pro- 

 ducing stage, but agriculturally they are 

 not to be recommended. In the Feder- 

 ated Malay States less than 6 per cent, 

 of the rubber acreage was planted in 

 1910 with catch crops (principally coffee), 

 as against 10 per cent, in 1909, while in 



390 



