and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society, 195 



In arriving at these figures, I have taken into considera- 

 tion all the factors of soil, climate, age anil condition of 

 trees, have eliminated backward trees referred to in the 

 reports, and have made my calculation upon a conservative 

 basis, as, although the yields upon which my estimates of 

 produce are based are sometimes considerably exceoded, it 

 is better in my opinion to restrict the output to some 

 extent, and so promote permanent vigour and yielding 

 properties of the trees. 



I base my calculations of produce as from the 1st July 

 in each year. 



Trees planted 



Hevea (Para) Estimated Yield. 



12,500 trees over 8 years 



2,450 

 10,000 



4,599 

 46,803 



76,352 



5 



3 to 4 „ 



2 to 3 ,, 



planted July, 1905, 

 to March, 1906, 

 (including supplies). 



1908- 9 



1909- 10 



1910- 11 



1911- 12 



1912- 13 



1913- 14 



m lb. 



33,820 ,, 

 50,320 „ 

 93,950 ,, 

 119 100 „ 

 146,200 „ 



Assuming 30,000 trees to be planted in 190S, and 45,000 

 trees in 1909, the yield after 1913/14 should rapidly increase, 

 as trees planted now would then come into bearing. With 

 regard to the trees mentioned as having had their main 

 roots cut down to 4 or 5 inches, and to those that are 

 water-logged, it is probable that they are not permanently 

 injured, and they should recover when efficient drainage 

 has been carried out. From the descriptions of the soil, 

 lay of land and climate, and from my experience of Rubber 

 plantations in Ceylon, Malay States, Java and Sumatra, 

 the Sekong District is evidently well suited for the cultiva- 

 tion of Para rubber ami other tropical products, some of 

 which might be grown as catch crops in new extensions, 

 and so reduce cost of opening. Yours faithfully, (Signed) 



M KELWAY BAJI8ER, F.I.C., M.R.A.C., M.R.A S.E., etc. 



The rubber from the Sekong Estate has com- 

 manded full prices on the London Market tor 

 " Fine Plantation Para," parcels having been 

 sold during 1907 at prices ranging up to 5s 8ijd 

 per lb. At the present price of Fine Plantation 

 Rubber (4s per lb.), a nett profit of about 2s 6d 

 per lb. should be realised. Six year-old trees 

 in the Government Experimental Gardens at 

 Tenom, in Borneo, are stated to have yielded ]J 

 lb. of Rubber a tree ; while common experience 

 in neighbouring Rubber growing countries has 

 shown that a much larger yield has been ob- 

 tained from 8 to 9 yearold trees. A fair revenue 

 should also be derived from the sale of seeds 

 and stumps. The Sokong Estate is and must 

 be for some time the only property in North 

 Borneo producing seed in any considerable 

 quantity. 



As soon as the existing plantation has been 

 put into a thoroughly satisfactory condition, 

 the Directors contemplate proceeding with the 

 opening out of fresh land on as large a scale as 

 may be possible, compatible with efficient 

 management. The ample supply of plants and 

 seeds now available on the Company's property 

 will greatly assist its easy development, and 

 taken in conjunction with the extent, position, 

 and compactness of the Estate, and the un- 

 doubted richness of the soil, should facilitate 

 the formation of subsidiary companies for the 

 cultivation of the reserve Forest Land, and in 

 such an event, the profit to the Shareholders 

 of this Company should be considerable. 



In 1906 the property was thoroughly inspected 

 by Mr JMelmore Halliday, whose Report, dated 

 25th August, 1906. 



The promoters of this Company desiring to 

 have absolutely up-to-date information as to 

 the present condition of the estate, sent out 

 Mr R Caldicott Wright, an experienced Java 

 and Ceylon Rubber Planter, to inspect the pro- 

 perty. Mr R C Wright, in a cabled report, 



stated that Mr Halliday's report was substan- 

 tially correct, and gave the averago girth of the 

 eight year old trees, three feet from the ground, 

 as '29 inches, some of them having attained a 

 circumference of over 60 inches. The following 

 are extracts from Mr R C Wright's written 

 report dated the 29th December, 1907, describ- 

 ing the present condition of the rubber estate: — 



"The Concession as per Government plan is 11,272 acres. 

 I do not think it fair co deduct more than 10 per cent, for 

 unavailable land, such as swamps and steep sides of 

 streams, the soil throughout is very suitable for the growth 

 of 'Hevea,' and consists of alluvial clay on the fiats and 

 on the hills of a yellow coloured clay, with ltterite soils 

 in some places. I do not think at any place the elevation 

 rises to 300 feet above mean sea level." 



Climate.—" There has been no weather report kept 

 on the estate, but judging from Sandakan, should say the 

 rainfall was 120 inches. The dry months are June, July, 

 August. From the growth of the Hevea Trees on the 

 Estate I should say the climate suited them exactly." 



Extent. — " There are 280 acres, more or less, under Para 

 rubber ; 67 acres 8 years and over, 5 acres 5 years 

 and over ; 53 acres 4 years and over 2 years ; 155 acres 2£ 

 years to over 1 year." 



■' The growth of the trees of all ages above 2 years is good 

 and, I have no doubt, might have been better had more 

 care been taken in the upkeep. The growth of the 155 acres 

 is not good, and this is entirely in my opinion due to want 

 of drainage and the very neglected condition of the upkeep 

 at least 45 acres of this clearing requires deep draining. 

 The plants in this undrained area are water-logged andean 

 never do much good until it is drained. All weeds must be 

 cleared away at least 3 feet on each side of the line 

 of trees." 



" I made a careful census of the trees and arrived at 

 12,500 being over 8 years old. I counted a great many rows 

 and had the trees measured. There have been 9,248 trees 

 tapped over 8 years old and the balance is made up of trees 

 over 22 inches. The actual number of trees of all age3, Mi' 

 Altaian assured me, and I think him reliable, is 76,352, but 

 this includes all supplies, of which I am certain 7,000 can- 

 not do any good, their main root having been cut down to 

 4 or 5 inches, and on the top of these there are at least 

 another 5,0C0 water-logged." 



Nurseries.—" There are 125,000 plants in the nurseries ; 

 of those I eliminated 25,000 as weakly." 



Roads and Bridges.— " There is a swing bridge across 

 the Sekong connecting the bungalow and curing establish- 

 ment with the estate, otherwise there are practically no 

 roads or bridges on the property." 



Buildings.— " These consist of a good assistant's house, 

 small dairy and curing establishment, store, kospital, one 

 new set of lines for sixty Malays, and two temporary line3 

 for 50 Chinese." 



Labour.— " Javanese can be obtained in fair numbers." 



Health.— "The health on the estate is good, also the 

 water supply obtained from wells." 



Yield.— "At the date of my visit 3,442} lb of rubber had 

 been despatched ; 1,000 lb sheet were in the store; 150 lb 

 scrap were in the store ; and 417£ lb were expected before 

 31st December." 



" This yield is no criterion of what the trees ought to 

 give, 50 per cent of the trees have been only just scratched." 



Many rubber planting enterprises have paid 

 from £3 to £6 an acre for reserve land held 

 under leases with rents rising to $4 an acre 

 per annum. The Government of British North 

 Borneo is now demanding £3 an acre for selected 

 rubber land (vide the speech on 23rd July, 1907, 

 of Sir Charles J Jessel, Bart., Chairman of the 

 British North Borneo (Chartered) Company). 

 The Sekong estate is held Free of Rent, 'it; 

 will therefore be seen that this Company 

 acquires its property on very favourable terms. 

 The following letter from the Government of 

 British North Borneo shows that favourable 

 labour facilities now exist for rubber properties 

 in North Borneo, and that liberal terms are iq, 

 other respects given to this industry : — 



