201 1 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



Plantation Rubber Grown in Ceylon and 

 British Malaya : 



(Federated States, Perak, Malacca, Johore, 

 Straits), Sunatra, Java, India, &c. 



44 & 45, Fenchurch Street, London, 1st 

 January, 1909.— The acreage under Rubber 

 Plantation (partly mixed with other products) 

 is now nearly 500,000 acres. 



Tons Tons 

 Exported from rCeylon India) 350 against lioU in 19U7 

 Exported from Malaya, &c. 1450 against 780 in 1907 



1800 " 1010 



Exported from Ceylon (and India) 160 in 1906 70 in 1905 

 Exported from Malaya, <5sc. 350 in 1906 75 in 1905 



510 145 



There has been a further general improve- 

 ment in preparation, less of inferior and 

 "tacky," much more of line clean crepe — some 

 of very good colour realising high prices— anil 

 nice resilient sheet. 



The enormous variations and great advance in 

 prices since early October (fully detailed over 

 leaf), have resulted in very high "average price" 

 for Plantation during recent months but, as we 

 formerly predicted, the difference in value com- 

 pared with fine Para Brazil Rubber, lessens 

 with the larger supply of Plantation. 



Manufacturers have shewn a decided prefer- 

 ence for Sheet, Biscuit and Crepe ; the latter 

 should not be drawn out too thin or have visible 

 air or steam bubbles in it. Some lots of strong 

 thick Crepe sold very 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 gcod 

 colour — also not to send many qualities or very 

 small lots. Block has not been in favour gene- 

 rally, and unless clean resilient hard quality can 

 be sent, it may be better to ship as Crepe or 

 sheet. 



Pack it in good dry condition (excess of resin 

 much objected to.) 



Into strong cases of lcivt. to 2 cwt. each. No 

 paper, fuller's earth, &c, to be used. 



Keeping different qualities and colours sepa- 

 rate, where practicable keep immature separate; 

 to send separately dirty barky pieces, and to 

 wash out all the bark in Crepe, Block and Sheet. 

 All fine qualities should be loose Crepe, Sheet or 

 Biscuit— not run to a mass. Our 



LONDON CHARGES 



are very small. Brokerage \ per cent., AJ1 

 Samples are paid for, and the only deduction 

 is — Discount '27^ per cent. Draft (on all Rubber) 

 \ per cent. 



Smoked rubber appears to have greater re- 

 siliency and to be more suitable for many pur- 

 poses than unsraoked. " Smoking " prevents 

 the " proteins in rubber from decomposition, 

 and generally from " tackiness." All fine rubber 

 from Para is smoked. 



During last January and February we had de- 

 cline in markets (from the values of 1st January, 

 viz., fine Para 3s. 5d., fine Plantation 3s. lid.), 

 owing to the withdrawal from purchasing Rub- 

 ber by America, and the continued closing 

 there of many factories. 



The lowest price was 21st February, when 

 fine hard Para was sold at 2s 9d. good sheet 

 Plantation (Malay) at 3s l|d. America showing 

 signs of revival, values rapidly recovered, and 

 advanced Is per lb. by middle of May. Prices 

 were irregular till 6th October, when Plantation 

 sheet sold at 4s6id, t'ara 4s 43d. With 



A STEONG AMERICAN DEMAND AND CORNER 

 OF " BEARS,'' 



by 10th November the price was a further 

 Is per lb. higher, and 17th November 

 the highest price of the year obtained, viz., 5s 

 5d fine hard Para, whilst sheet Plantation 

 realised 5s 9d to 5s lOd. Values fell subse- 

 quently, and today tine Plantation is 5s 3id, fine 

 Hard Para 5s Id to 5s 2d, fine Soft 4s 9£d. 



The rapid fluctuations and extraordinary rise 

 iu values appear hardly due to natural or 

 normal causes, but the world's demand has 

 been more than equal to the reduced supply, 

 and at some periods our stocks have been re- 

 markably small, especially of fine Para. Total 

 stocks now are smaller than for many years. 



Notwithstanding the serious losses in Brazil, 

 the supply from the Amazonas has increased, 

 but there has been a large reduction of Mani- 

 goba, Mangabeira and Pernambuco. Brazil 

 exported 40,000 tons. 



Our doubts as to Synthetic rubber have 

 proved to be correct. It is not mentioned now, 

 and common substitutes have been neglected 

 though cheap. A large trade in reclaimed 

 rubber, and quality improved. 



Rambong has sold fairly well, especially small 

 lots of nice hard clean. Oastilloa in small sup- 

 ply, but not liked even at low prices. 



The world's supply in 1008 was about 65,000 

 tons, against 69,000 tons in 1907, and 65,000 tons 

 in 1906. Consumption we estimate was about 

 67,500 tons. Of 



Robber Planted 

 we estimate in the East nearly 500,000 acres — 



19 8. 1907. 1916. 



Ceylon .. 180,000 acres 150,0)0 1 0,000 



Malaya, Malacca, &c. . . lH5,ono ,, 100,u00 90,000 

 (containing about 1 ) million trees, not two million 

 tapped in 1908) 



1908. 1907. 1906. 



Borneo and New Guinea .. 10,0.. acres 9,000 8,' 00 

 Dutch East Indies, 



I Java} {su?natra}* c - 9 °. MU » 70 . 000 ^U0 

 India and Burmah .. 30,000 ,, 



Mexico, Nicaragua and Honduras have plant- 

 ations but are not increasing :— probably by 

 now 20,000 acres planted; also Colombia, 

 Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. 



[ndia is extending, probably about 30,000 

 acres planted. Some in Burmah and Mergui : 

 the Philippines (small as yet), Samoa, Hawaii, 

 and beginning in New Guinea and other Islands, 

 Queensland and Seychelles. The West Coast of 

 Africa has plantations, and more progress has 

 been made in the Congo region and German 

 West Africa, also in British East Africa, 

 Uganda, and the West Indies probably 2,000 

 acres. 



Brazil exported in 1908 about 40,000 tons 

 against 41,500 tons in 1907, Manicoya seriously 

 decreased, also Guayule from Mexico, largely 

 used in America and the Continent. Prices of 

 Guayule are very much lower and quality im- 

 proved ; probably 2,000 tons were made. 



