Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-11-19
RUBBER CULTURE IS
TOPIC Considered
CONTINUED from Peso u

NSohtihuVu iioh 4F5E ~
furnish the man to do the work, the
Division of Forestry to supply the
necessary funds for salary and ex-
penses. This plan met with DR.. Will
cox's hearty approval and later with
that of the representatives of the
four rubber plantations at Nahiku.
Two Vital Points
THE two important points en-
which the success of the rubber in
dustry in Hawaii turns are first,
whether the trees yield 1atex in COM
mercial quantities, and second, whc-
Their the latex can be collected and
prepared for market at a profit. I'm
| til these questions are definitely an
swered the rubber industry must re-
main In the experimental stage. From
the tappings of larger trees that have
so far been made in Hawaii there Is
every reason to be sanguine over the
flow of latey. The present invcstiga-
tion should go a long way toward
throwing light on the cost of hand
ling the product, for the figures that
are being collected refer not alone
to the tapping of the trees but In
clude as wen the several steps of col
Letting the rubber from the trees.
getting IL to the drying house, maxi
ing II into commercial product and
preparing II for shipment. . ..
I'm working out the details of the
experiment, the plan broadencd
somewhat in scope, so that as It now
stands the work that it is proposed
to do falls under four main heads,
as follows:
Four Main Heads
"First--Experimental tappings to
determine the cost of collecting Ia
tex under conditions of commercial
practice.
"Second-Comparative tests of diff
ferent methods of tapping to ascer-
tain which one is best adapted to the
local conditions. in view of cost, time
required, effect on the flow of latex,
and general influence on the tree.
"Third-A study of the methods
of handling latex after II has been
collected, with special reference to
control by chemicals or by other
means. so that as large n percentage
as possible may be sold as high-grade
rubber. The best way of handling
the "scrapings" is an important
phase of this problem.
"Fourth-A study of methods Of
cultivation and fertilization, to find
out how through these means the
rubber trees may be brought sooner
to the point of tapping, or by in
creased vitality be made to yield
larger quantities of latex at an ear
lier age or for longer period Of
flow.
Spacing Of Trees f
along with the main points emu.
morated much information should al.
so be got on such related matters as
the best spacing OF the trees, the ap'
propriate season of the year foI
planting, intercultural crops. and the
like.
THE work under the third head
methods of chemical control, will b,
performed at the laboratory OF the
Hawaii Experiment Station in Homo.
lulu, as 1t Is of a character requiring
special equipment and knowledge on
ly possessed by q trained chemist
There are enough rubber trees on the
station grounds and in the Tantalu.
forest to provide the necessary latex
All the rest of the work will be
done in the field ON the several rub
Der plantations.
THE terms of the cooperative
agreement AS II now stands are thai
the Hawaii Experiment Station shall
furnish the agent in charge of tn,
field work and shall undertake tn,
chemical and other studies requiring
laboratory equipment; the Division
OF Forestry pays the salary of the
agent and the other necessary ex,
penses. For this purpose $1,000 ha!
been set apart from the appropria'
ton of the Division, Each of the
I''ui luDD'i pidhtu'ioHS At NdHIht
has agreed to furnish one laborcr fol
such time as may be needed, to worl
under the direction of the agent In
charge but to be paid by the planta
ton.
EARLY In September DR.. Wilcox
Mr.. +. r. p. Waterhouse, and ! visit
ed Nahiku and worked out on tn,
ground, In conference with the man
ayers of the four rubber plantation,
the program that has since been pu
in effect. The investigation will b,
continued during the remainder o
the present fiscal period, that is /,
June 30th, 1909. At its conclusion
. the results will be published eithe
by the Experiment Station or by tn
Board of Agriculture and Forestry.
As he finished reading his paper
Mr.. Hosmer was heartily applauded
the members of the Association eX