Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-06-06
POSSIBILITIES OF RUBBER
GROWING HERE.

under date OF February Goth, 1903, /
from Guayaquil, Ecuador, a report
to the United States Government in
regard to rubber in Ecuador. He
states the increasing demand has
given the business an immense i'm
petus; that the principal supply
of gum has come from wild trees;
that the ruthless destruction of trees
by greedy rubber seekers who cut
down trees that they might obtain a
trifle more rubber, has played havoc
with the coast trade, and the supply
is now obtained from remote regions.
But inefficient transportation in
creaSeS the cost. At the present
time capitalists are seeking to obtain
concessions, from the Government,
for large tracts of land, to engage in
the cultivation of rubber. Brazil,
The first country to use rational
methods in the production of rubber,
now exports from thirty to forty
million dollars worth annually. The
cultivation of rubber is also receiving
serious attention in the Republic of
Colombia.
Planting is very easy and mex
penSive, and returns are very tempt
ing, some claiming it will yield
crop at five years, and others that
it takes much longer. The trees
are usually planted twenty feet
apart, and, when planted in the
open, plantain or other large-leaved
trees are planted between for shade,
while young.
The tree is usually tapped four
times during the first year of its
maturity, and, with proper care,
will continue to yield up to forty
years of ago. The yield, as well as
the market, is variable; healthy
trees should yield $50 to $50 per
annum. BY recently discovered
methods gum is obtained from the
leaves also, either by pressing the
leaves when green or by drying them
and exporting to factories where they
are treated. Twenty-Five per cent.
of gum has been obtained from
them.
After reciting the above, the
Consul states that he cannot per-
Sonally vouch for the accuracy of
the facts given, as the verbal ac-
counts which he had obtained con-
flict with newspaper articles on the
subject.
Whatever may be the facts as to
exact data, without question the
future demand for rubber will be
very great, and that the planting of
proper kinds in the right place will
be very likely to yield a good profit
to the persons engaging in the work
on these islands. The mountain
districts of these islands have the
proper climatic conditions, if we are
to judge by data given in conSulor
reports to the United States, and
other sources. The best rubber is
produced from Hevea BrazilienSiS,
which produces the Para rubber,
and the Castilloa Elastica of Mexico,
the latter supplying the principal
amount of gum produced there.
Both of these trees thrive in condi-
tons of climate corresponding to
that of these Islands, and are quite
sure to succeed here. They are at
least worthy of thorough test in
various localities. The forest lands
of many districts could be trans
formed into rubber forests gradually,
without any sacrifice of climatic
conditions, for it would not be nee
eSSary to clear the land, except
sufficiently to plant the young trees,
the forest trees giving the necessary
protection to the young rubber
trees, and can be removed when
their shade is no longer required by