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The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



competition with the Jaffna cigar from two sources : 

 namely, from (1) imported cigarettes, and (2) tobacco 

 grown elsewhere in Ceylon, that is to say, in Dumbara 

 and in Batticaloa. The results are injurious to the 

 local tobacco industry, 



7. Tobacco is the backbone of the Northern Province, and 

 the improvement of its cultivation is of more importance 

 than any administrative or legislative measures. This was 

 the view of Mr. levers in 1899, repeated in 1900 (Administra- 

 tion Reports 1898 page D5 and 1899 page D4.) Experimen- 

 tal cultivation under proper guidance is what is wanted 

 for if the people see that tobacco cured in the modern 

 methods fetches a higher price, it may induce them to 

 follow these methods and obtain a more extensive raaiket. 

 (Administration Report f jr 1901 page D6). 



8. What would the experiment cost ? I have reason to 

 believe that the expenditure required for one year might 

 amount to (say) Rtio.UOO. 



NOTE. 



The figure R65.0O0 is based on the following calculation. 

 In order to cure tobacco for the European market, it is 

 necessary to cure it in large quantity, ami it has been 

 estimated that the product of about 15 acres would be 

 required, or at say R5J0 an acre, R7.500 f'ir each cure. 

 One would want at least four attempts probably | which 

 with curing would cost R45.000. To this must be added 

 the salary and travelling expenses of an expert curer. 

 It might be possible to get a really good man for say 

 £890 for the season This with travelling expenses would 

 mean £1,000 and contigencies would account for the rest. 



2. The most recent publications say that the produce of 

 i to 5 acres is enough for a cure. This would reduce the 

 cost to R15,'I00 if Jaffna tobacco were employed, or say 

 R35 to R40.OC0 in all. Even this is a good deal and 

 as Mr. Gibson's experiments have given reason to doubt 

 whether Jaffna tobacco can ever be cured to suit the 

 European palate, it is doubtful if it is worth while going 

 any further with Jaffna leaf than doing what can be done 

 to improve it for the local and Indian market. 



3. Cuba and other thin-leaved tobaccos will grow in 

 Jaffna, and on " the lands under some of the tanks, e.g. 

 Maha-illuppalama. Years ago Cuban tobacco was tried 

 at Jaffna, but the people dug it up and threw it away 

 when they saw the delicate leaves. To get it grown it 

 would be necessary to pay the growers what they get 

 for an acre of Jaffna. 



4. A cheaper experiment will be to grow 10 acres in 

 the Jaffna district of good Cuban or Sumatran leaf. This 

 would cost say R5.000 to bring into bearing, and perhaps 

 another R6.000 to cure. Adding R4.000 for seed and sundry 

 expenses, and R15.000 for an expert, the total comes to 

 R30.000 which appears to be about the lowest figurs at 

 -which it could ba done. 



THE POSITION AND PROSPECTS OF 

 THE RUBBER PLANTING INDUSTRY. 



By Mr. M. Kelway Bamber, f.i.c, &c. 



" The Rubber Producing industry of Ceylon 

 and Malaya is still expanding, though rather 

 less rapidly than a year ago. The fall in the 

 price of Rubber, from whatever cause, will b» 

 of service to tho planting industry in restricting 

 future openings to the most favourable positions 

 only, where soil, climate and labour conditions 

 are of the best. It will also encourage the 

 finding of new markets and uses for Rubber, 

 and will favour economies in productiou, which 

 might otherwise be neglected. Many lessons of 

 the greatest value havo been learned from the 

 experiences of older plantations and, profiting 

 by these, future extensions promise well as a 

 sound investment. While the importance of 

 purity in the product is fully roalised and 

 generally aimed at, there is still some uncer- 

 tainty as to the best form in which to put the 

 Rubber on the various markets, and until 

 manufacturers definitely decide this point, 

 variations will continue. The value of uni- 

 formity in the product of any plantation cannot, 

 ho\Vever, be over-rated. Notwithstanding the 

 gradual fall in the price of Rubber owing 

 largely to the financial trouble in the United 

 States of America, the British-grown product 

 still maintains the lead owing to its reputation 

 for purity and careful preparation. This can 

 easily be maintained, and with further experi- 

 ence in tapping and preparation, and with an 

 increasing proportion of older trees in bearing, 

 satisfactory profit should be ensured to the pro- 

 ducer for many years to come, even should the 

 price of Plantation Rubber fall to 3s. per lb. 

 Whether or when the price will fall to this 

 figure it is impossible to say, as the consump- 

 tion of the article seems likely to increase 

 rather than otherwise, owing to the number of 

 uses to which Rubber is and can be put in 

 various industries." 



January, 1908. 



— Rubber Producing Companies. 



