Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29

Congress having provided the Depart
ment Of Agriculture with &l05,000 which
NAV be used for research In rubber pro-
duction, II is expected That o. r. Cook.
an expert In the Bureau OF Plaut In
iustry. will visit the Philippines shortly
to make a more thorough survey OF the
rubber possibilities there and initiate
more comprehensive experiments than
have prevailed heretofore.
The appropriation also covers any
experiments the bureau may undertake
in the United States proper or in tie
Canal Zone, in Panama, where the
climate Is suited to rubber production.
In time the various efforts of the Gov
eminent will result in data about rubber
trees nearer this country than the prin-
cipal source of rubber noW--the Malay
Peninsula and the Dutch East Indies
and the nearer the source the lower
the freight cost, and to that extent
lower prices OF tires end other rubber
manufactures will be attained.
In the island of Mindanao, In the
Philippines, which the Thompson In
vestigation report OF 1926 said was the
richest undeveloped area in the world.
the United States Army has a military
reservation of approximately 5000 acres
which Is now virtually unused. Tnls
tract could be utilized for EXPERIMENTS
In growing rubber trees at minimum
expense. The aim is to find precisely
the type of rubber tree best suited to
the climate and soil OF the Philippines.
Government Research Only.
The Government, however Is not It.
self going into the commercial produc-
ton of rubber. What Mr.. Cook and
other Federal experts win do in the
Philippines or elsewhere Is TO expert
ment for the variety Of tree that VIII
yield the most iatex or sap. from which
rubber is made Already American ex-
perts In the Dutch East Indies. In the
island OF Sumatra and In other places
have greatly increased the yield OF iateX,
and instead OF 800 pounds of ruber per
tree year often get 400 to 500 pounds.
The rubber industry started from wild
trees. Now the trees are cultivated IN
plantations the underground Is kept
cut away and more scientific tapping
OF trees for the sap is practiced, which,
with other discoveries, account for the
larger Yield and greater profits. IL Is
expected by Federal experts to proceed
further along this line so that Ii large
scale production is begun In the phil
ippines the growers can start of with
information that will be abreast OF the
finest plantations anywhere.
The late Gov Cen Leonard Wood
of the Philippines, In his final report,
made public after his death last year,
devoted considerable attention 10 rubber
prospects in the islands. his conclusion
being
Soil Found Suitable.
Soil and climatic conditions are ex-
cellent and there is believed to be
enough suitable land in the Philippines
TO supply IN great part, II not wholly,
the rubber needs OF the United States. "
AS the United States uses around
400, 900 tons of rubber annually ana the
consumption is growing, the Philippines
might well become a big factor IN the
world rubber market. Efforts to get
the industry started In the islands were
reviewed hy Gov. Gen. Wood. who stated
that the Philippine bureau of agrieul~
tlIre had distributed 10000 rubber seed
lines among small farmers. but he
pointed out that the Filipino farmer
lacks knowledge Of the rubber tree and
the years that must elapse before re-
suits can be checked up make this
movement OF uncertain value,
The Washington experts will make
the experiments more seientifie. An
experimental farm on the military
reservation. for example, would be con-
Quoted along lines followed by agri-
cultural experimental stations In the
United States. Dairymen have expert
mented until they have found cows
which give the most milk, poultrymen
have experimental TO find the best lay
Ing hens, and why not rubber tree ex-
periments to find the largest producers
Is the question experts ask,
Factors In Production.
Variations In soil and climate are Inn
pOftant In rubber production, Singa~
pore Ii not exactly like Ceylon, nor are
the Philippines identical In soil and
climate with the other two places, or
with Brazil or Africa Competition now
Is making II imperative for each locality