PLANTATION RUBBER INDUSTRY OF THE EAST. 495 



Among the recommendations of this Circular were (1) that the 

 trees should be tapped when 24 inches in girth, which a few 

 might reach in the sixth year ; (2) that the best results " had 

 been obtained " by planting 8 or 10 feet apart ; (3) and 

 that not more than 10,000 acres in Ceylon was suitable for 

 profitable rubber cultivation. In accordance with the latter 

 view, Willis advised in the following year that those who 

 wished to plant rubber on a large scale would probably do 

 better in countries further East. 



Wilhs's statements concerning the yields of Hevea in 

 Ceylon, based on the Henaratgoda trees, were vigorously 

 combated by rubber planters in Kalutara, where Hevea had 

 now been tapped for several years and 3delds of 4 to 5 lb. per 

 tree obtained. It was on these results, not those of the 

 Botanic Gardens, that Ceylon planters based their faith in 

 rubber. Harrison (in letter, Peradeniya file) stated that 

 4 lb. of rubber were taken from one Culloden tree in 1895, 

 and 3| lb. in 1896. 



A memorandum on Rubber Growing in Perak was drawn up 

 by Mr. L. Wray in December, 1897, and issued in January of 

 the year 1898 {T. A., XVII., p. 621, ex " Malay Mail," January 

 19). Wray stated that 15 to 20 feet apart would appear to be 

 the correct spacing, but at 20 feet it might be necessary to 

 plant something in between them to keep them from early 

 branching, a course which would not be necessary if the trees 

 were planted at 15 feet. In Larut, on an estate at Kampong 

 Dew, Hevea was being planted 10 feet by 10 feet, with the 

 intention of thinning them out later to 20 by 20 feet. On 

 July 5, 1897, tapping was begun on a tree at Taiping by a 

 herring-bone, I inch wide, extending to the wood. The cuts 

 were re-opened several times, until they were half an inch 

 wide. The knife employed was " like a boat-builder's draw 

 knife," with two handles and a U-shaped cutting edge. 

 Further particulars were not given. 



A report by Derry on the trees at Kuala Kangsar, dealing 

 chiefly with the year 1897, was published in 1898 {T. A., XVII., 

 832). The trees there were tapped in August, 1897, and by 

 the end of October 60 trees had been tapped, and 88 lb. of 

 rubber obtained. Trees 6 years old averaged 10 oz., while 



