Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
u S. TO AID RUBBER RESEARCH
IN PHILIPPINES AND ELSEWHERE
Expert of Department of Agriculture to
Visit Islands-$105,O00 Available for
Work Beneficial to Autoists

to be sure II has the rubber tree of the
most economical type.
The military reservation, Ii 1t Is made
available for experiments, has Sufncient
cleared ground, a good harbor ana uockE
and some houses ready to hand Tor the
personnel of the experimental station.
Clearing tropical ground is such an
arduous task that the advantage OF the
reservation becomes apparent. and IL
also would save the cost of buying land
for experimentation.
There would be no interference with
the Army If 1t should again want part
or all OF the reservation. The Filipinos.
moreover, would be the chief benefi-
Charles of the experiment. for. as stated,
the United States In this research will
not produce rubber for sale; 1t simply
will show the Filipino farmers and
Others who may care to grow rubber
trees the best varieties and the proper
care of the trees, etc.
Big Sums for Rubber.
Since the United States spent In one
wear 5000 900 900 for rubber when prices
were highest. and still Is spending more
than $500. 000. 900 year now that prices
are much lower. the Importance OF re-
search work In reducing rubber costs,
and thereby reducing automobile costs,
Is conceded.
Before any big rubber operations are
undertaken In the Philippines. some re-
strictions may have 10 be removed or
altered. For instance. an existing stat
ute limits the holding OF land by cor
| porations to $500 acres inaSmuch as
rubber producers want 100000 acres
or more. the limitation In the Philip
pines is an obstacle to large-Scale pro-
duction, However, some arrangement
may he made for small growers to pro-
duce In sufficient quantity to make the
OUTPUT commercially important. or the
Philippine Legislature may revise the
land laws.
since from four TO seven years are
required for rubber trees TO begin pro-
ducing commercially, the need OF start
ing experiments scientifically at TINS
time is emphasized Seedlings viii be
brought from Malaga, Dutch Ea m
dies. South America, Africa and ather
areas and the growth and output per
tree carefully tabulated. BY the time
big production Is desired this data
would be priceless,
Benefits World Wide.
The benefits OF research in the Phil
iDDiI1HN WOulQ dkOL UG AOlhlAita v"
American growers Just as the knoWl-
edge obtained by British, Dutch. French
and other rubber producers Is ex-
changed with American growers, so
would the knowledge obtained by eX-
periments In the Philippines be avail
able throughout the world and 80 raise
the standard OF the rubber-growing In
dustry everywhere. with resultant gains
TO automobile tire users
new era OF economic development
seems to have begun In the Philippines
with a keener desire among the Fill
pinos for cooperation with the United
States to increase not only rubber. but
all kinds OF production. such as sugar,
coffee, coconutS, etc Native labor will
get more employment at better wages
when the great natural resources of the
islands are more largely developed,
With the recovery OF Europe from the
losses Of the World War the demand
feR rubber has been enlarged, More
and more automobiles are being used In
Europe. In Asia and all other parts Of
the globe The American motor car
manufacturers and tire manufacturers
are selling all over the world, and this
Increases the American demand for
rubber, So whatever the United States
does in the Philippines or elsewhere. TO