PLANTATION RUBBER INDUSTRY OF THE EAST. 453 



trees would shade and keep the ground moist, witliout interfering 

 in the least with the Hevea, which would soon tower above them. 

 This plan also would much increase the value of the plantations. 



Another thing I would recomnaend. The milk of thosi> trees 

 is yielded in much greater abundance near the gi-omid, and when, 

 by some chance cause, an elbow of root is protruded abovi^ the 

 groiind, the flow of nxilk from it, on its being tapped, is very much 

 greater than from any other part of the tree. Now, would it not 

 be possible to devise some method by wliich the roots might be 

 induced to put up elbows above the sirrface of the gromid ? 

 Great caution must be used, in tapping the trees, not to penetrate 

 beyond the bark into the wood. Great numbers of trees are 

 destroyed in this manner on the Amazon. As soon as the wood 

 is injured, certain species of boring beetles attack the tree, and 

 it soon dies. 



From what I have seen of these trees in theii- native coufttry, 

 where I have occasionally known them planted, and have made 

 some experiments on their growth myself, I have ventured on the 

 foregoing remarks, feeling, at the same time, satisfied that this 

 will be found to be quite the best mamier of forming a plantation 

 on a large scale. If this plan were followed in a suitable locality 

 on rich alluvial soil, the tapping of the young trees might (•om- 

 menee gi'adually in from seven to ten years after planting out, 

 and would soon become the source of a great revenue. 



Cross's Report. 



Cross's report gives a full account ol: his travels, the part 



relating to Hevea covering eight closely -printed pages. He 



took up his abode in Para, and made daily excursions to the 



neighbouring rubber districts. His account, therefore, relates 



only to the immediate neighbourhood of Para, and the 



seedhng plants which he collected were obtained within easy 



walking distance of the town. The following extracts may be 



of interest : — 



The land aro\ind Para, including where the city stands, rises 

 from the banks of the river southward in the form of gentle 

 undulations, indented, however, in many, places by deep gully-like 

 natm-al ditches, called gapos, which often penetrate for many 

 miles into the interior of this vast forest region, and are filled 

 daily by diurnal tides. To those navigable by canoes or sailing 

 craft the term ajarape is often applied. The intervening land 

 between the gapos is frequently flat and moist, and owes its 

 origin, first, to tidal deposits, and afterwards is raised higher by 

 the decayed remains of successional rank growths of vegetation. 

 On the elevated lands beds of white sand, 20 feet in deptli, are 

 met with, covered with a layer of decayed vegetation. At a 

 similar level to this we find a deposit approaching to clay or very 

 fine sand and mud, with here and there masses of sandstone 



