RUBBER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14347, 18 April 1910, Page 8

RUBBER.

Sir, —In common with many of your readers no doubt, I was interested by tho account, which appeared in a recent issue of the Herald, of a Wellington interview with .Mr. ,1. 1. Philips. Having a kind of personal connection with Straits Settlements "rubber," through near relatives who are rubber planters, .1 . must say that I think some error has crept into tho passage that deals with the yield per tree. Individual trees or small areas might possibly yield lilb of dry rubb?r at the first tapping, but the opinions of the most experienced planters seem to divide"that amount by two. I have before me tho reports of .Mr. McGregor manager of the Anglo-Malay Rubber Co., and of Mr. Irving, late acting-manager of the Vallambrosa Co.—two of tho most successful companies in existence. . Reporting on two different, but very favourably situated plantations, they give practically tho same estimate, viz., 751b per aero (120 trees to the acre) I,have perused a great many rubber prospectuses. These naturally colour their schemes as rosily as is consistent, with safety, but I have yet to see an estimate of above Jib for the first tapping. A ten-year-old plantation should average about 311) per tree dry rubber. From private -correspondence I should say that the other 'statement* ot cost, etc., were correct, and within the mark. Rubber, in fact, is (in a favourable locality) such a good thing that even should the price drop to 2s per lb*, tapping companies will still make handsome profit, evea if not the 80. and 100 per cents, per annum of the present tunc. Waiotemarama. HOKACK C. Ct'JIMIKS. Waiotemarama.