Isles of the East : an illustrated guide : Australia, New Guinea, Java, Sumatra . stbeing employed. In the latter case the planter or agent having inspectedthe area, applies to the Government for its use, which is then put up for 93 tender and goes to the highest bidder. The land is not sold outright, butleased for lengthy periods, the majority being for ninety-nine years. Therent is small, varying from one to two shillings per acre, according toquality of soil. Under an old law by Sir Stamford Raffles payment forland need not be made until the purchaser has held it for six years, thusgiving h
Isles of the East : an illustrated guide : Australia, New Guinea, Java, Sumatra . stbeing employed. In the latter case the planter or agent having inspectedthe area, applies to the Government for its use, which is then put up for 93 tender and goes to the highest bidder. The land is not sold outright, butleased for lengthy periods, the majority being for ninety-nine years. Therent is small, varying from one to two shillings per acre, according toquality of soil. Under an old law by Sir Stamford Raffles payment forland need not be made until the purchaser has held it for six years, thusgiving him every chance of recouping himself for the necessary outlay. The task of clearing the jungle is effected by felling a large pro-portion of the trees, drying and packing their trunks around those thatare still standing, and awaiting a suitable opportunity when fire applied ito one side, aided by favourable winds, sweeps right across the desired iarea, leaving blackened stumps and gnarled trees behind it. These areagain burnt out and the ground is then made ready for The young trees, which have been grown in nurseries for some sixmonths, are planted out and stumped. Sometimes planting takes placefrom seed, but the former operation is easier and generally adopted. Inorder to give admittance for sunlight the trees are planted at unequaldistances, namely in avenues of ^4 x 30 feet or 20 x 17 feet; they arekept back for some six weeks until the roots have formed properly, whenthey are allowed to grow steadily in height and girth. During the timeof preparatory growth, catch crops such as coffee, tobacco and tea aregrown among the young rubber, this method giving a fairly good returnuntil the trees are matured and fit for tapping. Rubber consists of thedried milk or latex of certain plants or trees ; it is extracted from the treesby incisions made in the trunks about six feet from the ground, cups 94
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidcu3192401058, bookyear1912
