200 
THE TROPICAL 
AGklCULTUmST. [Sept. 1, 1903. 
THE INDIA RUBBER INDUSTRY : 
THE EQUIVALENT OP NEARLY 12,000 
ACRES (3i TO 4 .MILLION TREES) 
PLANTED IN CEYLON; 
THE EXTENT PLANTED IN OTHER 
EASTERN LANDS ; 
THE WORLD'S SUPPLY OF RAW 
RUBBER; AND ENORMOUS TRADE 
IN "SCRAP" OR "WASTE" RUBBER. 
Now th.'it further Directory retiirns have 
come in, e^specially from theKelani Valley and 
othei? lowcountry districts, we find we were 
much below the mark in our approximate 
total of the area and number of rubber trees, 
planted out. The Assistant Agent of Kegalla, 
in his Report for 1902, gives over 4,000 acres 
for the extent covered with rubber, in 
his district, no doubt, on the authority of 
planters, rather than of his headmen, since 
he says it is chiefly grown amongst tea. 
And even if we allow for planting in other 
divisions such .as Kegalla and Western 
Dolosbage, within the revenue district, 
there can be little doubt that the Kelani 
Va;lley must now have the equivalent of 
4,000 acres at from 300 to 400 trees per 
a«re, although when the rubber is planted 
among tea, we suppose 100 to 200 trees will 
be the allowance per acre. In the same way 
from the Kalxitara Administration Report for 
1902, recently published, we learn of 360 acres 
planted with rubber only, besides 300,000 
pfants among tea, at end of last ypar, and 450 
acres to be opened in 1903. We think i he above 
estimate must be below the mf»ik for rubber 
aanong the tea. For, we find that, our inde 
pendent estate returns give a total of 2,037 
acres up to date. Altogether for the island 
we now get 11,630 acres— or close on 12,000 
acres— as covered with rubber, and we 
cannot put the total of trees, young and 
old, now planted out in Ceylon, at less than 
3^ to 4 millons— by far the larger pro- 
portion—say 2 to 2^ miliions— being very 
yoxmg, under 1 and 2 years old. The distri- 
tmtton of this acreage by districts is given 
as follows :— 
Acres, 
Kelani Valley ... .. 4.100 
Kalutara ... ... ... 2,357 
Minor Lowcountry Districts : — 
Hanwella, Mirigarna, Ambalan- 
^«da, Heuaratgode, etc. ... 2,700 
Udagama ... ... ... 242 
Kuru\\i.ta(Ratnapura)... ... 219* 
Dambara ... .. ... 36G 
Matale (4 division.') ... ... 481 
All oth«r distiiets ranging from 
4 to 140 acres ... ... 1,165 
Total acres ... 11,630 
llie next remarkable feaiure is the way 
in which the cultivation has been extending 
• Tins is exchtsive of the 1,000 acres reported 
mme time ago to be leased from a Native Chief by 
» Sbirth African visitor, wiili a view to rubber : we 
have not, so far, learned if planting hai taken 
plB«e< 
in the Central Province. The limits of 
altitude (as well as of suitable area) set 
in the early stages of the industry have 
been quite ' over passed and experimente 
in rubber growing with Hevea (Para) as 
well as Castilloa, by planters, are now 
found at elevations of from 1,000 to 2 000 
feet, if not, in some cases, exceeding the Latter 
altitude. It is even of3Bcially anticipated 
that rubber may prove a profitable cultiva- 
tion under irrigation— that is on land near to 
some of the many irrigation tanks now being 
restored. We must, therefore, revise and en- 
large our estimate of the possible ultimate 
extentof this industiy, provided the conditions 
of market demand and prices continue favour- 
able. And without taking " irrigation " and 
the vista it opens up, into consider.ation, 
we tliink rubber is now in a fair way to 
become as important a Planting Industry, 
in respect of area under cultivation, as Cacao 
which is at present represented by 25,000 acres 
on plantations and between 9,000 and 10,000 
acres in native gardens. There is one matter 
very clear, however, and that is, as to the 
planting of rubber among tea or any 
other product. It is very evident 
that full allowance must be made 
for eventual injury to the latter. It is a 
common saying in th^ Straits now, that 
rubber kills out coffee ; and long ago Mr. 
Vollar in Dumbara found the shade even of his 
ceara trees, of much detriment to iiis coffee 
and cacao. Already, the injurious effect of 
rubber, when interpianted, is seen on some 
of the older fields in the Kalutara district ; 
and by-and bye this will be the case in 
the Kelani "Valley. We have therefore 
felt bound to make more allowance 
than usual in allotting the respective 
areas (for tea and rubber or coconuts) where 
interpl.anting has taken place; and, as a 
consequence partly due to this fact, we 
may mention in passing, that the Directory's 
total are.a »mder tea— notwithstanding cer- 
tain new clearings— will shew no adv.ance 
in the aggregate on 1902. 
As regards the extension of rubber in 
Ceylon, we have the following opinion from 
a practical planter who sees as much of the 
country as any one we know : — 
"People who expect rubber to grow profitably 
on lands (indiseriminately) where tea has failed 
in the low country will have disappointnieula 
awaiting them ; but the area under cultivation 
can, nevertheless, be very largely extended and 
I have great hopes of some of the dry districts 
coining to the front with this cultivation. 
As to the wise rule for plantin.g, in the 
future, though we fear it has not been much 
observed in the past,— we may quote a3 
follows : - 
Naturally it depends a good deal upon the land, 
how close rubber should be planted, bat takio^ 
an average lowcountry estate, 1 should say that 
12 by 12 or 16 by 12 would be a suitable dis* 
tance, thinning out afterwards if necessary ; and 
amongst tea, the number of tree? per acresbould 
not exceed 70 to 100 if the tea ia expected to 
continue flashing and even their some loppiog up 
of the rubber will be necessary." 
