S54 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



RUBBER INDUSTRY IN THE F.m.S. 



Interview with Mr. E. G. Money. 

 Mr E G MoDey of Messrs. Bonstead Bros., 

 who returned recently after a business trip to 

 the Straits and F.M.S., had some interesting 

 remarks to make with regard to the Rubber 

 Industry in Malaya. In the course of an inter- 

 view our representative learned that he had 

 visited estates in Selangor, Perak and Megri 

 Sembilan. he said. In reply to an enquiry as to 

 what were the most noticeable features on 

 the Rubber estates he saw since his last visit, Mr 

 Money said " Well, there is no dfinite estatement 

 to make applying to the whole country. The 

 features of different rubber estates in dif- 

 ferent parts of the country are different. 

 The general condition of the estates I visited 

 was very good and the growth of young rub- 

 ber, very satisfactory. In the case of estates 

 in flat alluvial coast lands labour, generally 

 speaking, is more plentiful and cheaper than 

 in the case of estates which are on undulating 

 or hilly country. This is due to the fact that 

 the latter districts are not so healthy. In the 

 undulating districts of the interior malarial 

 fever gives a lot of trouble, and the death 

 rate among the Tamil coolies employed on these 

 estates is very high. Consequently much of the 

 work on these estates has to be done by Chinese 

 labour, which is expensive. The cost of produc^ 

 tiou is, therefore, in this case often very high." 

 Tapping. 



" What system of tapping do you find most 

 generally practised now ? What are its ad- 

 vantages ? " 



" The systems of tapping which seem to be 

 most generally practised are the 



QUARTER HERRING-BONE, AND THE BASAL V., 



commencing at 18 inches from the base of the 

 tree. I am inclined to think the latter is the 

 best method of tapping, since it does not involve 

 the removal of bark high up in young trees 

 where comparatively little latex is obtained." 



" How do Javanese coolies answer for tapping 

 and in rubber estate work generally ? How do 

 they compare with Chinese and Tamils ? " 



"Javanese coolies are employed to a con- 

 siderable extent on some estates. On others 

 there are practically no Javanese employees. 

 Good Javanese coolies make good tappers. 

 Javanese labour is not as cheap as Tamil labour, 

 but from what I heard I should imagine that 

 an indentured Javanese labour force would be 

 considerably preferable to Chinese labour. 



" In what parts of Malaya is extension of 

 rubber cultivation proceeding most vigorously?" 



" The answer to that is, extension of culti- 

 vation of rubber is proceeding practically in 

 every direction ; and there are a great num- 

 ber of private individuals in the Malay States 

 at the present time who are busily engaged in 

 planting rubber. I noticed also that there is a 

 great deal of rubber planting carried on by 

 natives, mostly in small blocks of anything from 

 10 to 50 or 100 acres." 



Manuring of Rubber. 



"Have you heard of any results from manur- 

 ing ot rubber in the F. M. S. ?" 



"Manuring ot rubber has not yet, apparently, 

 been undertaken to any extent. But I think it 

 will be begun before long. A good deal of 

 forking of the soil is being done together with 

 the application of lime, in most cases with very 

 beneficial and quickly noticeable results, in the 

 growth of the trees and the yield of those which 

 are in bearing. I" am inclined to think, how- 

 ever, the 



VERY LAKGE YIELDS 



given by some of the older estates during the 

 past two or three years have been obtained by 

 too rapid removal of bark; and such yields cannot 

 possibly be maintained as a regular thing. I saw 

 some old rubber in various places which, I should 

 imagine, it would pay before very long, to cut out 

 and re-plant. I refer, of course, only to places 

 where trees have originally been too closely 

 planted and excessively and badly tapped. Such 

 rubber will not hold its own in 



COMPETITION WITH THE YOUNG AND BETTER STUFF 

 COMING ON 



— a competition which is sure to come about be- 

 fore long. It is customary to go on tapping 

 throughout the year. I am inclined to think 

 that it would probably pay 



BEST TO STOP TAPPING ALTOGETHER FOR FROM 

 ONE TO TWO MONTHS, 



during the spring, while the trees are wintering. 

 During this time the tree is in a somewhat 

 feeble state and comparatively little latex is 

 obtained, while the bark is being continuously re- 

 moved at the usual rate. Alternate day tapping 

 is, I think, mostly practised in the Malay States 

 in case of young rubber, I think if the trees 

 were allowed to rest and the bark saved during 

 the month or tsvo referred to, daily tapping 

 might be rP6orted to, during the months 

 of October, November, and December, when the 

 trees are in a state of active production, and 

 with better all round results." 



"The shareholders of companies, who are ac- 

 customed to receive monthly reports of the crops 

 of rubber obtained, would have to be informed 

 where it was proposed to adopt this policy, 



