PLANTATION RUBBER INDUSTRY OF THE EAST. 439 



Calcutta proved unsuitable for Hevea, and in the following 

 year King expressed doubt that the plant would ever thrive 

 there. 1 In 1876 he reported that it had failed in Calcutta and 

 Sikkim;2 There is no record that Calcutta distributed plants 

 of this consignment to other countries. 



A second consignment of seed, which was sent to India in 

 1875, was even more unsuccessful, not a plant being obtained. 

 King refers to it as follows.^ " It was with much regret there- 

 fore that I had to report to Government the utterly hopeless 

 condition of a large consignment of Hevea seed sent out by 

 the India Office during September last. This consignment 

 was packed in large barrels, a singularly unfortunate arrange- 

 ment for such oily and perishable seeds as Hevea." 



Second Introduction of Hevea. 



After the transmission of seed in the ordinary way had been 

 found impracticable, Markham engaged Mr. Robert Cross, who 

 had previously assisted him in importing Cinchona, to proceed 

 to South America to obtain plants.^ Cross, however, was sent 

 first to Central America for seeds and plants of Castilloa. 



Meanwhile Sir Joseph Hooker persisted in the attempt to 

 secure Hevea, and commissioned Mr. H. A. Wickham, who was 

 then resident at Santarem, on the Amazon, to collect seeds at 

 the rate of £10 per thousand.* Wickham had been engaged in 

 rubber tapping on the Orinoco in 1869-70, and, having 

 travelled via the Orinoco to the Amazon, had published an 

 account of his journey in 1872.^ His book contained illustra- 

 tions of the leaf and seed of Hevea hrasiliensis, and thus 

 demonstrated to Sir Joseph Hooker that here was a man 

 available who was well acquainted with the tree he was 

 desirous of obtaining. Wickham had previously (1873) con- 

 tributed specimens of seeds and fruits from the Amazon to the 

 Kew herbarium.^ 



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



* Idem, 1875-76. 



» " Peruvian Bark," p. 458. 



* Trimen-, Sessional Papers (Ceylon), No. 13, 1881. 



5 " Rough Notes of a Journey through the Wilderness from Trinidad 

 to Para," 1872. 



6 Kew Report, 1873. 



