8S2 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [May i, 1884. 



Our trees of this are now nine years old, Lut the tallest is but nine feet high. AccordiDg to 

 Mr. Wray, this tree attains lOi) to 200 feet iu height, with a clean straight trunk of four to five 

 feet diameter, flanked at the base with large thin buttresses; the bark is one-third to half an inch 

 thick, brown-red in colour, and flakes off; the leaves are much narrower on young plants than old 

 ones, the flowers are white, and the seeds yield an oil solid at ordinary temperatures, but used for 

 cooking. The gutta is at first white and cream-like but becomes pink and ultimately brownish- 

 red ('' merah"= red), and this colour is strongly imparted to the water in which it is washed. 

 There is a variety of this species affording a paler gutta called " Gutta Taban sutra" ("sutra" = 

 silk), which is found at a higher elevation (5i_i0 to 600 feet). 



Other sapotaceous trees affording gutta, of which specimens have been sent by Mr. Wray, 

 are " Gutta Taban simpoo," Dichopsis Maingayi, Clarke— the product :f which is also sold as 

 " gutta putih" — and " gutta garru," Bassia Mottlcyana, De Vriese, which gives a white hard sort, 

 only used for mixing with other kinds. He also sends examples of the curious substance 

 called " Gutta Jelutong," used for adulterating gutta percha. It is obtained from a very lofty 

 apocynaceous tree allied to our " Rukattana" {Ahtonia scholaris),* and recently named Dycra 

 costiilata by 8ir J. Hooker. 



The yield of the gutta percha trees seems to be very small— less even than the rubber 

 trees. Thus, from a tree of D. Gutta, thought to be over 100 years old, and over 100 feet high, 

 Mr. Wray succeeded iu extracting, by the ordinary native method of felling and ringing the 

 trunk and branches, only 2 lb. .5 oz. of clean gutta. Of " Gutta Taban putili," a tree ten inches 

 in diameter, gave 2 lb. 11 oz., and one of Paijena Leer'u, 2 feet <s inches in circumference, only 

 6^ oz. Mr. Wray has satisfied himself that only about .,'^th part of the gutta percha actually in 

 the bark is extracted by this method, and he believes that by pounding and boiling the bark the 

 whole could be obtained. As tiie question of the supply of gutta percha is becoming a pressing 

 one, it is to be hoped that experiments on a large scale may confirm this opinion. To quote 

 Sir J. Hooker (Kew Report, 1881, p. 38), "the time cannot be far distant when the natural 

 sources of gutta percha will be definitely used up.'' In view of this contingency it behoves the 

 Governments of those few British colonies — Oeylon being one — in which the trees will grow to 

 lose no time in establishing plantations, which must in the future become a valuable source of 

 revenue. But iu this Colony neither in this case nor in the case of India rubber can anything 

 be done until a proper forest conservancy in established. 



Jalajj. — tlr. Nock reports as to this drug : — "The plants have continued to grow most 

 vigorously, and though very few tubers have been formed, the bed is now full of underground 

 stems by which the plant can be largely propagated. The tubers, though few, have grown to a 

 large size, one just taken up iveighing fully 16 oz. This elevation (5,400 ft.) is, 1 fear, too bjw for 

 jalap to be grown profitably ; it is found to thrive best on the Nilgiris at an elevation of near 

 7,000 feet, and it is probable that the reason the plants make more leaf and less tubers here is 

 because we are too low. They grow here, too, all the year I'ound, whereas they should die down 

 about April and take a few months' rest." 



Taraxacum. — With regard to this Mv. Noek sends the following: — "I regret that I am 

 unable to report anything very favourable i)f the plantation of this drug, for, from the soil being 

 so poor, and the plants several times eaten down hy elk, they have not made satisfactory growth. 

 There are, however, a large quantity of fair-sized roots, which, if required, could be supplied to 

 the Medical Department." 



Senna. — The Customs returns show that in 1882 the value of this drug consumed in the 

 Colouy, wholly imported from India, was B-s. 1,212. There is no reason why this should not be 

 grown in the Colony. Seed of Tinnevelly senna (a large variety of Cassia angust'ijolki, Vahl.) was 

 received from Madras in April, and was tried at all the gardens. As was to be expected, the plants 

 quickly " damped ofi'" iu Peradeuiya and Henaratgoija, but succeeded perfectly at Anurddhapura, 

 whence the conductor sent very good samples of the drug to the Agri-Horticultural Show at 

 Colombo in August. Nothing is required for this cultivation beyond some irrigation, and no 

 preparation beyond drying the leaves in the air; it is well suited for natives in the dry districts. 

 Seeds of true Mecca senna (C. acutlfolia, Vahl.) were obtained from Kew in February and March, 

 and also did well in the northern garden. 



Medichial Rhubarb ( Rlirum palmatum and R. officinale.)— 'Y\\e?,e, inhabitants of cold high 

 regions of Northern Asia can scarcely be expected to grow at Hakgala, but Mr. Nock has some 



* This appears to yield a somewb.it similar substance at Singapore called Gutta Pnlci. 



