94 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



S. FIGGIS &. CO.'S ANNUAL REVIEW 

 OF INDIA RUBBER MARKET, 1907. 



Plantation Rubber Grown in Ceylon and 

 British Malaya (Federated States, Perak, 

 Malacca, Johore, Straits), Sumatra, 

 Java, &c. 



The supply has increased more rapidly than 

 was anticipated, and planting much more (too 

 much.) We estimate from 



tons tons tons 



Ceylon 230 against 160 190(3 and 70 1905 

 Malaya 780 „ 350 1906 ., 75 1905 



The Rubber as a whole has been well prepared, 

 but the imports of late show a larger proportion 

 of common than previously. The average price 

 per pound shows a ereat reduction, owing to 

 the very serious decline since October caused 

 by the great crisis in America. Manufacturers 

 have shewn a decided preference for Sheet, 

 Biscuit and Crepe ; the latter should not be 

 drawn out too thin or have visible air or steam 

 bubbles in it, and some lots of thick Crepe, nice 

 strong rubber about l-6ths of an inch thick, 

 were much appreciated and sold well. We think 

 it has been profitable to planters to wash and 

 clean the rubber thoroughly, and to prepare 

 as large a proportion as possible of good colour — 

 also not to send many qualities or very sma'l lots 

 Block has not been in favor generally, and un- 

 less clean resilifnt hard quality can be sent, it 

 may be better to ship as Crepe. We repeat our 

 recommendations of a year ago . — Pack it in 

 good dry condition (excess of resin much ob- 

 jected to). Into strong cases of 1 cwt. to 2 cwt. 

 each. No paper, fullers earth, &c, to be used. 

 Keeping different qualities and colours separate 

 and not to mix immature Rubber with older ; to 

 send separately dirty barky pieces, and to 

 wash out all the bark in ( 'repe, Block and Sheet. 

 All fine qualities should be loose Crepe, Sheet 

 or Biscuit — not run to mass. To smoke the 

 Rubber when convenient, because "smoking"' 

 appears to increase its resiliency but keep it as 

 clear and yellow as possible. Our London 

 charges are very small. Brokerage £ per 

 cent. All samples are paid for, and the 

 only deduction is— Discount 2£ per cent. Draft 

 (on all Rubber) \ per cent. Planters get these 

 back in the higher prices obtained. Smoked 1 

 rubber appears to have greater resiliency and to 

 be more suitable for many purposes than un- 

 smoked. " Smoking " prevents the " proteins " 

 in rubber from decomposition, and generally 

 from " tackiness." All fine rubber from Para 

 is smoked. The very serious decline in price 



since October is mainly due to the serious crisis 

 in America and the closing of many factories 

 there. But, consider ing the enormous increase 

 and general expectation of " planting " rubber 

 in most tropical countries, (coupled with the 

 prophetic figures of immense supplies of Plan- 

 tation within two or three years), values were 

 far too high. The decline will, we hope, cool 

 many new enterprises and prevent too large ex- 

 tension of planting. There is no sign of such in_ 

 creased demand or new uses for Rubber as to 

 warrant too rapid an increase of sup; ly. If it 

 becomes loo large values will suffer We cannot 

 expect much increase of consumption in 1U08 in the 

 present state of trade and the over-production of 

 motors everywhere this season. 



Brazil shows no sign of reducing her output, 

 though perhaps she may do so in the next crop 

 owing to the serious losses on this crop. Brazil 

 exported over 41,500 tons. There are rumours 

 about the manufacture, by old and monied 

 people who do not often put money into 

 disastrous speculation, of what was erroneously 

 described as Synthetic rubber. We shall watch 

 results with curiosity (and doubt). The lower 

 price may retard or reduce the manufacture of 

 "substitutes," but they are largely consumed. 



The manufacture of reclaimed rubber is very 

 considerable and increasing. Rambong and 

 (Jastilloa have not been liked and sold cheaply. 

 Last January we quoted tine sheet, biscuits 

 and crepe 5s 6d to 5s <Sd, brown and dark ditto 

 4s 9d to 5s 4d. Prices advanced to middle of 

 March, declined to 5s for fine by end of May ; 

 rose 6d to 7d, but subsequently again to 5s in 

 September, and seriously declined during the 

 last three months with the financial crisis in 

 America. Today's quotations are for tine 3s 

 lid, dark and brown 3s 5d : fine Para 

 3s 5d. The world's, supply in 1907 was 

 nearly 69,000 tons, as against 65,000 tons 

 in 1906 and consumption nearly the same 

 as 1906, say about 66,000 tons. Of rub- 

 ber planted we estimate in the East over 

 350,000 acres— 



1907-8. 1906-7. 

 Acres. Acres. 



I 



Ceylon 150,000 against 100,000 



Malaya, Malacca, efce. 100,000 „ 9(',000 



(containing about Hiimillion trees, not one million 



tapped iu 1907) 

 Borneo 11,000 „ 8,000 



Dutch, East Indies, Java, 



Sumatra, dsc 70,000 „ 26,000 



Mexico, Nicaragua and Honduras have been 

 planting and are increasing : — probably by 

 now 20,000 acres planted ; also Colombia, Ecu- 

 ador, Bolivia and Peru. Ti.cVa is more rapidly 



