JAMATCA. 



BULT.BTIN 



OK THK 



DEPxVRTME^T OF A(iUICULTUKE. 



Vol. III. ' NOVEMBER, 1905. Part 11. 



RUBBER AT THE AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE 



1905, AT TRINIDAD.* 



RUBBER CULTIVATION IN THE WEST INDIES. 



The PRESIDENT, Sir D. Morris, said : The cultivation of rubber 

 trees in different parts of the tropics has been taken up with great 

 energy, and considerable success has been attained in Ceylon and 

 the Straits Settlements especially with Para rubber. The commer- 

 cial value of rubber is steadily increasing, and in view of the num- 

 berless uses to which rubber is put, there is no doubt that if planta- 

 tions of rubber trees could be successfully carried on, either alone 

 or in connexion with other industries, they might prove profitable 

 in some parts of the West Indies. In British Guiana rubber trees of 

 several kinds already exist, and one would naturally suppose that 

 in that colony a rubber industry might be established under more 

 favourable conditions than anywhere else. The more recent idea 

 is to establish regular plantations, and these, as far as I am aware, 

 have only been started at Tobago and Trinidad. In the former 

 island rubber plantations have been started now for over twelve 

 years, and they are beginning to yield commercial rubber. I have 

 asked Captain Short, of Richmond, to prepare a paper showing 

 the results of rubber cultivation in Tobago. He has sent a most 

 interesting paper with results compiled by himself and Mr. T. L. M. 

 Orde, the manager of Louis d'Or, a plantation belonging to the 

 West India Rubber Syndicate. 



CASTILLOA RUBBER IN TOBAGO. 

 By Captain M. SHORT, of Richmond, Tobago. 



The Castilloa is practically the only rubber tree grown in this 

 island. There are a few acres of Ceara (Mani/iot Glaziovii), and a 

 small quantity of Para (Hevea brasiliensis) and African {Funtumia 

 elastica), but although the growth of these two latter species seems 

 fairly satisfactory, it is too early yet to judge if they will 

 eventually flourish and yield well here. 



There is no doubt, however, that in the chief cacao-growing 

 districts the Castilloa thrives remarkably well, and the tree appears 

 to grow equally well at an elevation of 900 feet as at sea-level. 

 Some few trees, up to three and four years of age, have at times 



* lleprinted from the \V Ind. Bulletin, Vol. VI., No. '2, 1905, page 139. 



