The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-10-18

| lean. rubber. which is called the black
rubber, in commerce.
BY far the largest number of trees
on Maui are of the Ceara variety, and
its rapid growth has exceeded all ex-
pectations. The seed is oval in shape
and about the size of a kidney bean.
1t is covered with very hard shell.
and in order that it may sprout more
quickly and in the right direction, the
corners are slightly filed before plant
ing. When first appearing above the
ground it appears very much like a
bean which is sprouting, with two
cotyledons or baby leaves on top. Fol-
lowing this three more leaves appear.
and with the Ceara the leaf is almost
invariably composed of an odd number
OF points, three, five, or sometimes
seven.
FAST GROWTH.
In the first year a tree OF average
height and in good condition may be
expected to reach five feet at least,
while eight feet is by no means ex-
traOrdinary. In the second year the
branches begin to start, normally fol-
leaves, either three or five. The tree
az the end of its second season will
probably be from twelve to fourteen
feet in height and from six to eight
inches in circumference. This rapid
growth continues, and a size of near
ly twenty inches in circumference,
with a height of twenty-five feet, is
by no means extraordinary "a the end
of the third season.
On the Maui plantations the rubber
trees are spread over an area of coun-
trv which covers all attitudes from
seventy TO 1000 feet, the highest plan
tation being on what is known as the
Scott lot, belonging to the Nahiku
Rubber Company. which consists Of
about 100 acres of land, the majority
of which is rough and full Of ridges
and gullies. The rubber trees seem to
grow better where there is not too
much water, though they demand a
very high rainfall to do we'll. The
trees on the ridges seemed to be
stronger and more fiourishing than
those in the lower places where water
might collect Half of the trees on
this land are about a year old and the
remainder have been planted since last
February.
The first trees on the plantation of
the Nahiku Rubber Co. of which W.
A. Anderson is manager, were planted
in March, 1905. These were 5000 Ceara,
5000 Hevea and $50 Castilloa trees. The
frst-named have grown very rapidly
and cover about fifteen acres. A num- !
Der Of experimental tappings have
been made and will be continued, but
the real work of tapping will not be
commenced till October next, when the !
trees will have completed their fourth
years growth The Hevea trees have
not grown SO fast, while the Castil- |
loas are still further behind The lat |
ter tree, It IS thought, will need d
warmer country. With the two, how :
ever, there is an important question
which can only be answered by con-
tfnuaI experiments. II is possible that |
while they are slower in growth than
the Ceara they may yield more rub I
Der. and until this IL decided the same !
care will be taken Of them as Of the
more fast-growing kinds.
In the year Of 1866, $50 acres of /
Ceara. OF more than 100.0 600 trees, were ]
planted. while in the present season /
10000 Ceara have been planted, and 4
there will be a very large number Of
Hevea seeds placed in the ground in
the next month or two The planta-
ton employs forty men and has a total 1
planted area Of 500 acres Its run
ming expenses for the present year
have averaged about $4,000
The Kooiau plantation, c. D. Jacobs
manager, has 25e acres OF land now
planted and the trees, which are all
Ceara, number over 16d,Goe- The first
were planted twenty-seven months
ago and were a small lot Of 200 trees.
Manager Jacobs states that he does
not expect 10 tap TIL the trees are
at least five years old. Last year
1900 trees we're planted and 1000
have been planted in the present sea- .