Nov. 1. 1900.] 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
301 
ing it must keep books showing the amount 
received daily, anu report it once a month to the 
district official. 
RESTRICTIONS IN BRITISH POSSESSIONS. 
The system in Lagos is baseil upon a theory 
tliat the ownership of forests is vested in the local 
tribes, under their "native authorities," that is, 
chiefs. Witliin districts under the control of 
such "native authorities," no person may collect 
rubber without a licence, for which he pays £5 
to the "native authorities ' and 2s. for each load 
of rubber. No tree oE less girth than 3 ft. at a 
distance of 3 ft. from the ground may be tapped. 
It may not be tapped more than once in eighteen 
months, and only in the manner prescribed by the 
"native authorities." The preservation of the 
protecting timber is also provided for. No tree 
of a girth less than 9 ft. at a point 10 ft. from 
the ground mav be felled, and a similar tree 
must be planted in the nearest suitable spot within 
seven days. A permit must be obtained from the 
" native authorities " for all trees felled, and a 
fee of OS a tree must be paid. This system, Mr, 
Gell understands, proves inelfectual. 
The British Central Africa Protectorate has not 
yet established any adequate system for preserv- 
ing the rubber industry and deriving substantial 
revenue from it. The protectorate does, however, 
forbid the destructive traffic in root-rubber and 
rubber obtained by boiling bark, and it levies a 
5 per cent transit duty on rubber for the main- 
tenance of roads, which produces about Ihd a lb. — 
India-rubber Journal, Sept. 17. 
A report on the rubber industry of the British South 
Africa Company's Territories has been prepared for 
the company by Mr. Littleton Gell, and the following 
particulars extracted from it are taken from the Board 
of Trade Journal : — 
It is now ascertained that extensive tracts in North- 
West and North-East Rhodesia produce natural 
rubber of high commercial value, while in Southern 
Rhodesia indigenous rubber is reported in ab;indance 
in the Sibi Valley and along the Zimbesi. There is 
also good ground for believing that various foreign 
species of a yet more valuable character can be 
gradually established throughout the territory, and 
there are certain kinds which may be expected to 
thrive even in the drier climate of the Southern 
Rhodesia plateau. 
On the other hand, the native methods of extraction 
are very destructive, and in the absence of protective 
regulations the opening of markets will not inevitably 
tend to the rapid extirpation of indigenous rubber 
trees. Further, the existing methods of preparation 
are faultly, and impair the market value of South 
African rubber. 
The indigenous rubber, which (so far as official 
information goes) has at present been identified in the 
British South African territories, belongs chiefly to 
the class ot gigantic creepers scattered amongst other 
growths. 
Passing on to the administrative aspects of the 
rubber industry, the elementary principle which 
emerges is this— that the indigenous rubber must be 
regarded from the first as State property (as in the 
Congo, LTcenQ) Marques, aud Mozambique territory), 
and should not be abandoned to pruvate exploitation. 
It represents an exhaustible accumulation of natural 
capital, to which neither the nomadic natives nor the 
casual adventurer has any proprietary claim, but 
which should be husbanded, and, if possible, increased 
to sustain the immense expenses of developing a new 
territory. The native, who extracts it, and the trader, 
who exports it, must, of course, receive an adequate 
inducement for their services. But in the indigenous 
stage the rubbsr industiy does not require any outlay 
on plant or large capital. It is not speculative; th« 
settlement of the country diminishes the trader's risks. 
Transport is comparatively cheap for an article highly 
yahiable in proportion to its bulk. No expeniive 
management is involved. Accordingly, whatever pre. 
fit there mry be after the native and trader has been 
reasonably remunerated should be retained. 
The problems which present themselves may ba 
conveniently dealt with in the following order : — 
1. ThR measures i;ecessary to preserve the existing 
sources of rubber. 
2. The methods ot obtaining a revenue from the 
industry. 
3. The future development and expansion of the 
industry, including the suppression of detrimental 
methods of extraction and preparation. 
4. The policy towards purposals of exoloration. 
The systems established for the protection of the 
rubber industry in other territories have been of the 
following types ; — (a) Forests, including rubber trees, 
are reserved as State property ; they are directly 
administered, and the rubber is collected by a forest 
department, [h.) The forests are retained as State 
property, but private enterprise is permitted over 
specified areas under terminable leases and strict con- 
ditions, (c.) Tracts of forest are transferred to private 
or joint stock ownership, and the development is left 
to individual action under some degree of legislative 
regulation, (d.) Forests are abandoned to the first 
comer, subject to more or less effective regulations as 
to methods of extracting or trading rubber; this 
anpears to be the usual British principle outside India, 
and the least wise of any. 
The regulations existing in other African territories 
afford some useful suggestions, though speaking 
generally, they appear to be very imperfectly enforced. 
Penalties of from 101) franca to 10.000 francs and 
imprisonment of ten days to six months may be 
imposed, employers, directors of companies, and State 
agents being liable for the payment of fines incurred 
by their servants.* 
There will probably be no hesitation in recommend- 
ing that immediate regulations should be framed for 
North-West, North-East, and Southern Rhodesia for 
the protection of wild rubber which should embody 
certain well ascertained principles, i. e.: — {a.) A 
minimum age and girth should be established, below 
which a tree must not be tapped ; the exact measure- 
ments must be adapted to different species and 
localities, so that legislation should only establish the 
principle empowering our officials to promulgate the 
precise regulations for each district, after reports have 
been received as to the nature of the rubber plants 
there prevailing, (h.) The intervals at which trees 
may be tapped should also be regulated. Subject to 
local modifications, it would be safe to forbid tapping 
the same treep, or the same area, in two successive 
years, (c.) A general regulation will be required that 
rubber may only be collected by tapping, that no tree 
may be cut down, aud no roots grubbed up and boiled ; 
on the other hand, to avoid unreasonable rigidity, or 
to deal with exceptional conditions, a local ofiticial 
should be empowered to modify this regulation.! 
((7 ) A general regulation is desirable providing for 
the plantation of young rubber trees in forest land by 
persons extracting rubber, in some propotion to be 
fixed by the local official, and a small reward for 
every tree planted should be paid.| 
* Export duties on rubber are fixed at 10 per cent, 
by Treaty with Prance and Portugal. There ig 
apparently an additional duty of 50 centimes per kilo, 
fixed in February, 1898, and a fee of £200 is charged 
for every license to establish an india-rubber ware- 
house. Natives who hold licenses to collect rubber, 
apparently have the option of compounding for their 
fees by paying one-fifth of the rubber collected 
to the State 
t Root rubber is reported in North-West Rhodesia 
as a special product of the country. Unless it differs 
from other rubbers extracted from roots the process is 
not to be encouraged. 
I In Indian forest districts the systematic plantation 
of any trees which it is desired to establish is secured 
