The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-09-01
THE RUBBER
INDUSTRY
CONTINUED from Page 81

new bark begins growing from the top
as the new shavings are made at the
lower portion of the incision. SO that
there is no injury to the bark eventual
| ly. even when II Is actually stripped
of the tree and shavings cut right
down to the wood. This is not a good
method of tapping and is only men
toned because. even including one or
two plantations using this method.
there was not a single plantation
visited where the yield of the trees had
not Increased from year to year.
A large number of trees can be tap
ped in a short space of time. as II does
not take long for Taper to run his
knife along the lower edge of the in
cision. taking Off thin slice, and pass
on to the next tree, a few feet away.
The cups are placed in position by an
other gatherer and the latex collected
by still another, or the same one who
places the cups. The latex is then
brought to the preparing-house in ordi-
nary milk cans. Here the latex is pour
ed into pans and few drops of acetic
acid added. which soon coagulates the
rubber. Then the rubber pancakes are
rolled by hand or put through mangle
and after drying are ready for ship
ment. OF late, some of the planta-
lions are preparing washed or crepe
rubber. which is prepared by small
inexpensive machine. By this method
large amounts can be handled much
more easily than by the method OF
making pancakes.
Most of these plantations are grow
ing the Hevea or Para rubber tree, the
tapping of which has been described.
This is the best rubber tree as 1t yields
more steadily. is less expensive to col
lect from, and the quality of its rubber
Is OF the very bes<> They also have
considerable paintings of ficus elastica
rubber trees which are very profitable.
The ficus elastica is not as great
favorite as the Hevea.
After studying these plantations for
about one and one half months, I sail
ed for Honolulu.
From what have seen in the Malay
Peninsula, it seems to me that in GER
tain localities in these islands, such as
. Nahiku, where the first rubber PLAN
tations have been started, the Hevea
Cor Para) rubber tree ought to do very
we'll Seventeen thousand small
stumps of this variety which have re-
Gently been brought from Ceylon after
one and one half months transit, and
which on arrival, had very little vital
ity left, are now almost all of them
: growing remarkably well there.
1t is true, that 1t is not quite as warm
here as in Malaga, though / do not
think there is enough difference to af-
l feet the growth of the Hevea. In fact
| all tha IN
r much more favorable for the Para
r (Hevea) rubber tree in Nahiku thar
h the Caeara, (Which usually grows in q
: dry locality, were it not for the fact
e that Caeara trees do so well there
: The absence of any continuous DIR,
a spell in Nahiku, the rich loan surface
4 soil for the uarge number of the later
t al roots. which the trees put forth tc
feed in, and the volcanic subsoil tc
e give stability to the tree through It's
: rather short tap root, and above all the
Il copious rainfall combined with goot
: drainage, and the alternate bright sun
e shine and rain combine to make wha
e should be very favorable locality FOL
the Hevea.
e The growth of the rubber trees (Pa
8 raj on no plantation which / visited
n was any more rapid than that of thu
o Caeara trees in Nahiku. The larges
: seven year old tree there, being fee
- in circumference, measured fee
: from the ground; and one of the youn
It trees, recently planted, which Is 81,
u months of age from a Seeding, Is
: feet 9 inches in height and 5 Is niche
II In circumference, feet from tn
" ground.
: So that by planting both the Caear;
n and Hevea Cor Para) in Nahiku Their
n is always the Caeara to fall back on
n even though the Hevea trees SHOULD
= not continue to grow as well as the!
have done so far. On the other hand
e II the Hevea Cor Para) continue to d.
e well, as believe they will, for yea
;. or a year and half, it will be prac
81 tically demonstrated that this variet,
3, is a success in Hawaii and we vii
: have introduced the very best variety
II For If they will grow well there the!
: certainly will yield we'll. Any genera
condition hindering their growth woul'
be apt to show more in the earl!
: growth of the tree than later, excep
a poorer soil, and there is no doubt a
I, to the quality of the soil there.
Il The ficus elastica should do very wei
|
. over there also. A slightly differen
e variety of ficus elastica from tina
grown in the Malay States, grows II
. Honolulu. though it would do mucl
n better with more rainfall than 1t get
! here in Honolulu.
= The scale of wages for labor Is con
l. siderably higher. here than in Ceylor
:. and the Malay States. yet the cost o
4 collection, If it should even be twic'
e as much as it is there, would be yer!
J, small considered with the prices which
3 are paid for the crude rubber para o.
= Caeara) even If they were one half o.
= what they are now.
d Altogether, the prospects for rubber
!, cultivation In the Islands, seem yer,
y bright. and If rubber planting is sue
. cess at Nahiku, as there seems ever!
7 prospect of its being. there will, NJ
' doubt, be considerable extention o
/. rubber planting in the islands. though
: the area suitable is somewhat limite'
| IA It'd ok,-ia