APPENDIX I. 
1] 
gS 
Note oN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUBBER PranraTioN INDUSTRY. 
The history of the rubber plantation industry in the East began in 
1875. Seeds of Hevea obtained from Brazil by Mr., later Sir Henry, 
Wickham in circumstances which are well known, were germinated at 
Kew and the seedlings were sent out to Ceylon about 1876. From these 
seedlings the whole of the plantations in the East have developed, Progress 
at first wae slow, as it was not certain whether the Hevea tree was 
the most adaptable for plantation growing in the East. It was not 
until 1890 that the superiority of Hevea was generally recognised. Planting 
wae rather spasmodic up to 1900. Then the improvements made in the 
internal combustion engine rendered motor transport a very strong proba- 
bility, and from 1900 to 1905 there was a growing demand for rubber 
for motor tyres. In 1900, the world production of raw rubber was about 
40,000 tons, dry weight, and all went into boots and shoes, water-proof 
goods, mechanical goods, bicycle tyres and various other kinds of goods. 
From 1900 to 1905 there was not a great deal of planting, but the high 
price of rubber, 4s. to 5s. a lb., stimulated planting from 1905 to 1910, 
and during this period planting was carried on at a great rate. In 1910 
came the rubber boom. Demand outran supply, and the price went up 
to 12. 10d. a lb. A large number of new companies were floated and a 
very large amount of planting was done in 1910, 1911 and 1912. From 
1912 onwards there was a decreasing amount of planting on Kuropean 
estates and an increasing amount by Malays and Chinese. The European 
estates had prepared planting programmes during 1910 and 1911 and up to 
1916 were mostly engaged in carrying them through. In Malaya, land 
was granted for rubber on the condition that a certain area was planted 
each year. But between 1910 and 1912 the natives in Malaya and the 
Dutch East Indies started to grow rubber on their small holdings, and 
this native planting during the succeeding years was very considerable. 
Thus, between 1913 and 1920, new planting on both Hurovean estates 
and native holdings was considerable, 
No precise details of the area planted during each year since the 
beginning of the industry are available. The following table, supplied 
to us by the Rubber Growers’ Association, shows approximately in round, 
figures the increase in the area planted from the end of 1904 to the end 
of 1928:— 
Area planted at 
the end of :— 
Acres. 
50,000 
1,000,000 
2,000,000 
,400,000 
4,700,000 
6,250,000 
Of the total area planted at the end of 1928, some 3,600,000 acres are 
within the British Empire and 400,000 acres belong to British companies 
operating in the Dutch Bast Indies. The total figure also includes a 
vary rough estimate of 1,050,000 acres of native-owned plantations in the 
Dutch Fast Indies. oo 
In 1920 came a rubber slump, No doubt the general trade depression 
had some effect, but the slump was chiefly due to improvements in the 
thanufacture of tyres introduced in 1918 and 1919 which gave more. tyre 
mileage for each 1b. of rubber used. About the end of 1919 another. rubber