and Magazine 0} the Ceylon Agricultural Society.— November, 1911, 467 



RUBBER IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES. 



A FEW PARTICULARS. 



From numerous references to the resources 

 of the Congo and Bolivia some interesting parti- 

 culars are to be learned. In the Congo, during 

 1910, twelve large rubber plantations weie 

 either newly created or developed, and the ex- 

 perimental cultivation of the HeveaBrasiliensis, 

 Funtumia Elastica, and Manihot Glaziovii 

 species is being continued on a much enlarged 

 scale on the plantations already in existence, 

 and extensive new areas are about to be brought 

 under cultivation. A number of the larger 

 plantations are being devoted to the exclusive 

 cultivation of Hevea, some 1.000 hectares having 

 been planted. Funtumia Elastica, however, is 

 the most common, and numbers some 3,461,000 

 trees, of which the greater part are reported to 

 be thriving satisfactorily. The older trees, of 

 seven to nine years, that have been tapped, 

 have yielded a rubber of good quality that com- 

 manded a price in the Antwerp market ranging 

 between 17f. and 20f. per kilo (Rs. 4 06 to 

 Rs. 544 per lb.) The present yield of the six 

 year old trees is said to be 100 grammes, which 

 would represent a return of 137 751b. per hectare 

 of 625 trees. Hevea is regarded by Government 

 as a most promising plant, adaptable to the 

 climatic conditions and inferiority of soil. 

 Thirty thousand trees have been planted by 

 Government, and seven extensive areas in the 

 Bangala and Equator districts are to be brought 

 under cultivation. All the available seeds in 

 the Congo having been used up, further quan- 

 tities are being imported from Ceylon. Consider- 

 able impetus is being given to the cultivation 

 of Manihot Glaziovii, as, experimentally pro- 

 duced in the Congo, it has fetched 23f. per kilo 

 in Antwerp, on account of its excellent quality. 

 Experiments are also in progress with Castilloa, 

 various Manihot and Ficus, and Euphorbia. 

 Attention will also be given to the old rubber 

 lianas, of which some 11,000,000 are known 

 to exist. It is proposed to conduct the in- 

 dustry on scientific lines, such as those obtain- 

 ing in Malaysia, particular attention being paid 

 to the process of coagulation, washing and 

 drying, for which the most approved plant will 

 be acquired. Wild rubber is becoming scarce, 

 or is in places difficult of access and unprofit- 

 able. 



In Bolivia, the annual export value of rubber 

 is estimated at 4,000,000 dollars. The exploita- 

 tion of the rubber lands is regulated by law 

 through an annual export tax. The principal 

 areas lie in the north-east, near the Peruvian 

 boundary ; in the eabt, in the Province of Santa 

 Cruz ; and in the Acre and Beni territory, 

 which is exceptionally rich in its yield. Two 

 varieties of rubber plant are found in the dis- 

 trict, the caucho, which has to be cut down in 

 order to extract the sap, and the Hevea, which 

 is merely tapped. In some cases the trees are 

 tapped for a period of two years, and are then 

 rested for a similar terra. Other rubber trees 

 are tapped for six years at a time, and then left 

 untouched for a like period. The trees selected 



for tapping in this section are usually from 30 

 to 40 years of age, and are expected to yield for 

 20 years, after which they become useless. 



In Panama, the soil is of marked fertility, 

 and the climatic conditions of induce a luxu- 

 riant growth of tropical vegetation. Govern- 

 ment is interesting itself in promoting the 

 cultivation of coffee, cacao, coconuts, rubber, 

 vanilla, and sugar-cane. Rubber is au export, 

 the output coming from trees scattered natural 

 in the forests. Coconuts form one of the staple 

 exports, over 150,000 dollars worth being sent 

 in 1910 to the United States. 



ORANGES AND LEMON TREES PLAN 

 TED AMONG COCONUT PALMS. 



Mexico, 4 de Setiembre de 1911. 



Mess Tropical Agriculturist, Colombo, Ceilan. 



Dear Sirs, — We write to ask your opinion, 

 on the following point : — 



Would there be any objection to planting 

 orange and lemon trees in between our coconut 

 plantings. We plant our trees at 28 feet apart, 

 on the triangle system. 



Awaiting the favour of a reply, we are, yours 

 very truly, 



GRAVES Y GRAVES CIA. 

 A. R. Morrel, 



Gerente. 



We have had the above question placed 

 before an experienced coconut planter and his 

 answer is " I would recommend planting 

 Orange or Lemon in the centre of four trees. 

 Plant on'y one plant Quincunx — which will 

 not do any harm to the coconut trees." 



Another planter writes. 



Oct. 25th. 



Dear Sir, — 1 regret I cannot give an opinion, 

 based on practical experience, as to whether 

 oranges and lemon trees would be a success 

 planted amoug coconut palms placed 28 ft. apart 

 on the triangle system. 



If the oranges and lemon trees are put out 

 in the field at the same time as the coconuts 

 they would, I think, grow well together for some 

 years but when the roots of the coconuts spread 

 out and form a network in the soil the oranges 

 will probably fall off in productiveness. 



MacMillan in his hand-book of "Tropical 

 Gardening" says with regard to the orange the 

 distance for planting apart should be not less 

 than 15 by 15 feet or 193 trees to the acre. Iu 

 my opinion grafts would be best. — Yours faith- 

 fully, 



COCONUT PLANTER. 



[Much will depend on the quality of the soil 

 and the climate as regards a well-distributed 

 copious rainfall, — A. M. & J. F.] 



