438 PETCH : 



In Ceylon, experiments with Ficus elastica were unsuccessful. 

 At the request of the Home Government Thwaites attempted 

 its cultivation in 1874, but in 1875 he reported that the 

 experiment had met with very Httle success : in 1876 seeds 

 were obtained from Assam, and a few plants raised, but with 

 the advent of other species of rubber trees the experiment 

 appears to have been abandoned.^ It is, however, to be noted 

 that flourishing specimens of Ficus elastica were already in 

 existence at Peradeniya, the famous row which till recently 

 stood along the Gardens' front dating from 1833.^ 



On the whole, although one may feel thankful that Ficus 

 elastica was considered a failure, the inference would seem to 

 be justified that the lack of success in the seventies was not 

 altogether due to difficulties of cultivation. 



The First Introduction of Hevea. 



After the pubHcation of Colhns's report, attempts were made 

 by the India Office to import seeds of Hevea, and the Foreign 

 Office was requested to take steps, through Her Majesty's 

 Consul at Para, for obtaining a supply of seed.^ But before 

 the first consignment of seeds arrived, the India Office invoked 

 the aid of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and it is to the 

 enthusiastic support of the then Director, Sir Joseph Hooker, 

 that the ultimate success of the enterprise is to be attributed. 



The first seeds were obtained in June, 1873. On June 4 of 

 that year * Markham forwarded to Kew 2,000 seeds, for which 

 the India Office had paid £5.^ They had been obtained through 

 Coffins from a Mr. Farris, who brought them from Cameta.^ 

 From these seeds about a dozen plants were raised, and in the 

 same year Dr. King, then Superintendent of the Roj^al Botanic 

 Gardens, Calcutta, took out six of these plants with him on his 

 return to India.^ From these plants others were raised by 

 cuttings, and distributed to Sikkim.^ But the climate of 



' Annual Rriports, Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon, 1874, 1875, 1876. 



* Willis, "Annuls, I'eradeniya," I., p. 6. 

 " Trimcn, MSS. 



* Thiselton-Dyor, Bull., F. M. S., II., p. 2. 



* Report, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1873 ; Calcutta Report, 

 1873-74. 



* Report, Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, 1874-75. 



