The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-10-30
HAWAIrs SPECULATION IN RUB
BER.
big Investments, in New Industry
Which Promises Enormous Returns
Federal Experts Views on Sub
ject.

---rSucf0i EApcFts siCWS Vu SuU-
ject,
HONOLULU, T. H.-If for any un-
foreseen reason the rubber industry
in Hawaii should prove to De fail
ure, It will be failure worth re-
cording, for up to the present time
not less than half million dollars
have been invested by Ave different
companies and large number Of in
dividual planters. Not a pound Of the
product has yet been marketed, but
within another year or two there
should be some kind Of showing. But
there Is the utmost confidence ex-
pressed by everybody connected with
the new enterprise, and there seems
to be no reason to believe that a rich
reward does not await the promoters,
Although few trees planted ten or
twelve years ago had shown that GER
tain varieties OF rubber will grow
we'll in the territory, 1t was not until
1906 that any paintings were made
on commercial basis. One can get
some idea of the promised profits
from rubber growing in Hawaii, when
experimental tappings of even young
trees indicate yield of rubber per
year worth from "a to $40; and the
trees are planted from 200 to 400 to
the acre. None of the companies in
terested in the enterprise are of the
stock for sale; 10 cents per share,
par value 81" kind. In fact all OF
the stock Is held by comparatively
few persons and the capital Is all
paid in, no shares being on the mar
ket
The following Is from pamphlet
Agriculture in Hawaii" by Jared G..
Smith, director of the u s. Agricul-
tural Experiment Station, in Honolu-
lu.
'"The rubber industry is new one
in Hawaii, but already large areas
have been planted. The variety
planted is the Ceara, Manihot giabio-
viii, rapidly growing tree, native OF
southern Brazil. 1t makes its best
growth in regions of high tempera-
lures and high rainfall, but Is adapt
able to cultivation in semi-arid re-
gions, free from frost. Over 1000
trees have been planted In Hawaii,
and new plantations are rapidly being
established. There are large areas
available for Its cultivation.
The tree has a habit of shedding
its leaves, remaining bare for two or
three months every year. The flow
ers accompany the young leaves
which are put forth at the end Of this
resting period The Ceara rubber
Itree makes an extremely rapid growth
and seems especially well adapted to
Hawaiian conditions. 1t is widely
distributed throughout the group i'm
portations having been first made fif-
teen to twenty years ago.
preliminary tapping experiments,
made by the Hawaii Experiment Sta.
ton, indicate high yield Of rubber
of good quality. even from trees three
or four years old. These preliminary
experiments have shown that 1t is
possible to secure from 1-3 to 2-3 OF
an ounce of rubber per day per tree
for about half of the year.
Rubber is product the price OF
which has been rapidly increasing be-
cause of the inadequate natural sup
ply and increasing demand. While
its cultivation Is now being undertake
en- In all tropical countries, 1t will
: undoub tedly be many years before the
. production will have increased to
such point as to materially decrease
. the returns. Because of the rapid
= growth made by the Ceara tree, its re.
!. spouse to cultivation and its heavy
yieldssin Hawaii. the establishment Of
a rubber plantation is one of the mos
attractive fields for large invest
ments. Rubber growing is a business
: which will demand as much science
" skill, and knowledge, together will
Il business ability as would any otheI
u new enterprise. But there is this IL
% Its favor. that rubber Is one Of thu
: few of the worlds agricultural pro
D ducts in the production Of which
u there are still enormous profits, 1T
cultivation being everywhere on
y natural basis.