PLANTATION RUBBER INDUSTRY OF THE EAST. 465 



Some of these seedlings were sent to Madras and Buitenzorg 

 early in the following year. In 1884 a good crop was obtained 

 at Henaratgoda and over 1,000 seedlings were raised, while the 

 Peradeniya trees began to fruit in the same year ; 107 seeds 

 were sent to Nilambur, and 3 plants to the Agricultural 

 Society of Madras. An extensive distribution of seeds and 

 seedlings was made locally to Government Agents and other 

 officials, 500 plants being sent to Mirigama and 270 to Minu- 

 wangoda at the request of the Assistant Government Agent, 

 Western Province, 6 to the Assistant Government Agent, 

 Ratnapura, and 100 seeds to the Model Farm, Kalutara. 

 Hevea had previously been tried at Kurunegala before the 

 end of 1881. In 1885 the crop at Henaratgoda was about 

 1,400, of which 300 were sent to Nilambur, and 400 in a 

 Wardian case to Singapore ; the remainder of the crop was 

 disposed of in Ceylon. 



In 1886 plants were sent to Queensland. Locally, 12 plants 

 and 200 seeds were sent to the Assistant Government Agent, 

 Kegalla. 1,175 seeds were sent to Peradeniya, where they 

 were apparently disposed of locally. This distribution would 

 seem to negative the idea that the second plantation at 

 Henaratgoda was estabhshed from a nursery laid down 

 . in 1886. 



In 1887 a good crop of seed was produced and distributions 

 made to Nilambur, Penang, Fiji, Queensland, Rangoon, and 

 Jamaica, in the latter instance 2,000 in a Wardian case via 

 Kew. In December of that j^ear a request was received from 

 Singapore for seed in quantity, too late to be comphed with, 

 but in 1888, 11,500 seeds were sent ; the total crop for 1888 

 was over 20,000, 3,000 being sent to Nagpur and 1,100 to 

 Fiji. 



In 1889 seeds were advertised for sale in Ceylon, and for 

 some years subsequently most of the seed was disposed of 

 locally. A consignment was sent to Queensland in 1880, 

 another to British East Africa in 1891, and plants to British 

 North Borneo in the latter year. In 1892 seeds were sent to 

 Deli, and 300 in a Wardian case to Singapoie in i8|)3. In 

 1889 Hevea was planted in the newly-established Botanic 

 Garden at Badulla, on the eastern side of the Island. 



6(4)14 (<J0) 



