5*5 
Rubber tree, which is always found among charrals or shrub 
growth. There is a disadvantage in the first cost of this method, 
it being more expensive to fell all the virgin forest than a part of 
it, and at the same time leaving the ground more encumbered; and 
the clearings for the first two years are more frequent than in the 
“light shade” method, after which time they run about equal. 
Time is needed to show which of the two systems is the better; in 
results the “heavy shade” and “in the open” Rubber trees have 
both turned out failures, and are not being repeated where they 
have once been tried. 
The only kind of Rubber planted in the Valley is the Castilloa 
elastica, and most of it on the flats at an altitude of 400 feet and 
less above sea4evel, though one of the newer plantations — that of 
Mercedes Quesada is somewhere about the 1,500 feet level. 
Many of the foreign settlers are at present hanging fire to see 
what the U. S. Government determines on the Isthmian Canal 
question. Should the Nicaraguan route be voted for, hundreds of 
families would be down in a short time from the States ; in the 
other case many will draw out and abandon what they have in- 
vested in. 
The following is a list of settlers who have made Rubber-plant- 
ing their business in the San Carlos Valley : — 
1. Messrs. Umfried and Schoch, at the head of Tabla Grande 
with 40 hectares (100 acres) which they started to plant 
4 years ago. 
2. Messrs. Hoppenstadt and Gillett, in Banco de la China, 3 
hectares, all planted 6 years ago. 
3. Mr. A. Long, below the mouth of Arenal river, 37 hectares, 
all planted at different dates since 1897. 
4. At the mouth of the river “Tres Amigos”, an American 
family the Hogans, are at present making preparations to 
plant Rubber on a large scale. 
5. Mercedes Quesada has about 6 hectares of 6-year-old Rub- 
ber on his estate in very good condition. 
6. Messrs. Kotelmann and Heynsohn have about 6 hectares of 
6-year-old Rubber planted for them by Mr. Koschney in 
excellent condition and has had one tapping. 
7. Mr. Koschney has on his estate 25 hectares of 2-year-old 
trees, 11 hectares of 1 -year-old Rubber and 16 more 
being planted. 
8. Mr. Koschner together with other planters have planted in 
Cano Negro 4 hectares barely a year old, many of the 
trees being now 2 metres high, 100 hectares being now 
actually planted and preparation being made to plant 
350 hectares more. 
9. Mr. Long has in Cano Negro 6 hectares planted about one- 
year old and is preparing to plant 30 hectares more. 
10. Max Bergmann has several hundred trees planted in Cano 
Negro, 1 to 3 years old, all in good condition. 
