FIG. 1.-Sir Henry Wickham, the "father" of the plantation rubber industry, standing beside one of the oldest Para rubber trees grown in the East. This tree is in Heneratgoda Botanical Gardens, Ceylon, and was developed from one of the original shipment of seedlings from Kew Gardens, germinated from seeds brought from Brazil by Wickham. The yields of this record tree were 95 pounds of dry rubber in 1909, 55 pounds in 1910, 67 pounds in 1911, 86 pounds in 1912, and 68 pounds in 1913. Tapping was discontinued in August, 1913, after which date the tree was used as a seed bearer. (By arrangement with the Times of Ceylon) II IV. General problems confronting the industry: Introduction of Hevea brasiliensis into the East- LETTER OF SUBMITTAL DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE, Washington, April 28, 1925. SIR: There is submitted herewith a report on the Plantation Rubber Industry in the Middle East, by David M. Figart, special agent of the crude rubber section, rubber division. This is the second of a series of publications to be issued on crude rubber; the first, entitled "Marketing of Plantation Rubber," by Special Agent J. J. Blandin, was issued by this bureau as Trade Information Bulletin No. 180 on January 24, 1924. Publications dealing with the possibilities of plantation rubber production in other tropical regions are in process of compilation and will be forthcoming at an early date. The geographical region dealt with in this report--Ceylon, India, Burma, Malaya, Netherlands India, Indo-China, British North Borneo, Sarawak, Brunei, Siam, and the Pacific Islands (data on British Borneo having been supplied by Messrs. Vance, Muzzall, and Bushnell, of the Philippine survey party, and a detailed discussion of the Palembang and Djambi districts of Sumatra by Mr. Muzzall)-produces 95 per cent of the rubber of the world. The economic factors surrounding the industry in this territory are discussed, with special emphasis on cost of production and the extent to which the future. potential output from the present planted area can be depended upon to meet the world's increasing demand. This report also brings out the material reduction in costs effected during the last few years through adoption of altered methods, and indicates the possibility of additional important savings by further reorganization. This is of interest in connection with the department's survey in the Philippines and Latin America, because in these countries there exists the possibility of avoiding unnecessary expenditures as shown by past experience, as well as of departing somewhat, as local conditions permit, from the present field methods which are more or less standard in the East. The field work on this report occupied the period from June, 1923, to February, 1924. It is therefore possible that new information has become available since Mr. Figart's visit to the various countries. It is believed, however, that there is no probability of the major premises or conclusions being upset by fresh data in the near future. Such export figures as have since appeared (and which are included in the Introduction) bear out this view. Late in 1924 arrangements were made between British and Dutch planting interests for a joint investigation of the native cultivation of rubber in the Middle East, hence more reliable information on this point should soon be available. Respectfully, To Hon. HERBERT HOOVER, JULIUS KLEIN, Director. Secretary of Commerce. |