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The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



Perak all big trees other than gutta percha were 

 ringed and have since died. The area contain- 

 ing taban is 62 acres, the trees in which show 

 great progress and rapid growth. Experiments 

 in tapping some selected trees were made with 

 satisfactory results. 



W. T. Taylor, Resident-General, Federated 

 Malay States. Kuala Lumpur, 20th August, 

 1908. — Sclanr/or Government Gazette, Sept. 11. 



UGANDA RUBBER AND CACAO 

 ESTATES CO. 



A New Fibre. 

 A correspondent wi'ites: — Few are aware that 

 two well-known Western Australians have been 

 haif over Africa. Mr C B Carey, a native of 

 Bunbury, has been in Equatorial Africa for some 

 years ; he has been overland in charge of trans- 

 ports from Mombasa to the West Coast, and 

 is thoroughly conversant with several native 

 languages. Mr Carey now holds a very impor- 

 tant position in German Equatorial Africa, 

 under the Government, and has acquired the 

 German language. MrChas. A White, F.R.H.S., 

 formerly forest officer for Coolgardie in the early 

 days, and brother to Cr. Shirley White, of 

 Subiaco, has travelled from the Cape to the Vic- 

 toria Falls, Portuguese East Africa, German 

 Territory, Zanzibar, Madagascar, and British 

 East Africa, along the Equator to the Congo. 

 Mr White is a planter and naturalist, beside 

 possessing a good practical knowledge of pros- 

 pecting, and was botanical collector for the late 

 Baron Von Mueller in Western Australia, but 

 is at present manager of the Uganda Rubber and 

 Cacao Estates. Ltd., at Jinja, near the Ripon 

 Falls in Uganda. Mr White states that he has 

 discovered a very valuable fibre known to the 

 natives as "Kafumba," but botanically known 

 as Asclepias semilunata, and valued in London 

 at £40 a ton. Samples sent by Mr White to the 

 Minister for Agriculture in New South Wales 

 were shown to Mr Thorpe, of the firm of For- 

 syth and Co., Sydney, who have offered to pur- 

 chase any quantity at £35 a ton, which was also 

 offered by James Miller and Co., Ltd., of Mel- 

 bourne. Mr White has now sent a quantity of 

 seeds to various parts in Australia, and states 

 that he is confident it will grow and thrive in 

 many parts of Western Australia. A sample of 

 the fibre is now in the possession of Messrs. C 

 and H J Locke, furniture warehousemen, of 

 Fremantle. also a small quantity of seed for ex- 

 periment. The fibre is of superior quality, and 

 needs no cultivation after the seed is sown till 

 uprooted. The plant is an annual, and attains 

 a height of 6 to 8 feet. — West Australian, Sept. 12. 



COST OF JEBONG RUBBER 

 PRODUCTION. 



Assam Rubber Proprietor's Statement Denied. 



An Assam proprietor of rubber in the F.M.S. 

 recently made some remarks about the cost of 

 production in this country. His observations, 

 which have been reproduced in the Straits Press, 

 have induced Mr. B C N Knight, of Jebong 

 estate, to write to our Taiping contemporary 

 as follows ;— 



Sir, — I read with interest Mr. Rose's remarks 

 to the Ceylon Observer on the cost of pro- 

 duction of rubber in the F.M.S. Mr. Rose states 

 that in 1906, he told me rubber should be pro- 

 duced for 6d a lb. and that I ought to be able 

 to produce on Jebong, at most, at 9d. I have 

 never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Rose 

 during his visits to the F.M.S., I would also 

 like to know where Mr. Rose obtained his 

 figures, saying, at the present time, Jebong was 

 producing at 9d. Up to August 31st (after charg- 

 ing half salaries to capital account) the cost 

 is 37 cents per lb. f.o.b. Penang (about 10|d). 

 I disagree with Mr. Rose that be will be able 

 to produce rubber for 6d alb. unless the pre- 

 sent rates of pay were reduced considerably, 

 and every tree being tapped is 12 years old and 

 over. The cost of tapping alone on 10 to 11 

 year old trees, including cups and knives, can 

 be done for 13 to 16 cts. per lb. dry rubber; 6 

 to 8 year old trees I don't think can be done for 

 under 20 cts. with tappers at 40 cts. per diem, 

 which is the rate of pay in Perak. I write this 

 letter in order that shareholders in Jebong and 

 othei-s shall not be misled with the statements 

 made by Mr. Ro6e which are inaccurate. — Malay 

 Mail, Sept. 23. 



[We gave Mr. Rose's statement as made to 

 us, to the best of our recollection. —Ed. CO.] 



THE DEMAND FOR QUININE IN INDIA. 



at the present time is exceptionally great, and 

 the stock would soon bo exhausted if it were not 

 replenished from Europe. Private importers 

 are known to have sent urgent indents home. 

 Fortunately manufacturers and chemists are 

 over-stocked in England, prices are low, and 

 ample supplies are available. One large firm 

 has been quoting at 7jd. to 8d. per ounce, or 

 the equivalent of between 



EIGHT AND NINE RUPEES PER POUND, 



which contrasts in a remarkable way with 

 the price quoted by the Government quino- 

 logist in India, fifteen rupees per pound. 

 We would suggest that at the present time, 

 when malaria has to be fought against all over 

 Northern India and in Bengal, a big reduction 

 in price should be made. Ten rupees per pound 

 when 5001b. are taken, and even lower rates for 

 still larger quantities, might be instituted. In 

 many instances it is found that the people pre- 

 fer their quinine in tabloid form, and it should 

 be possible in future years to arrange for im- 

 ports in this shape. The expense will be slightly 

 more, but the effects likely to be gained will 

 justify the additional outlay.— Pioneer, Oct. 3. 



RUBBER IN N. BORNEO. 



There is reason to hope that in the near 

 future perhaps two or more Rubber Estates may 

 be opened up in the district. There is plenty 

 of excellent land and it is a pity to see it, with 

 the many advantages it has, lying idle. — B.N.B. 

 Herald, Oct. 1. 



