ToL. VIII. No. 1V9. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



r» 



GOOD GROWTH OP PARA RUBBER 



TREES. 



A note in the Agricnltnral, Btdlefin of the 



Federated Malay States (Vol. VII, No. 7) refere to the 



-surprisingly good growth made by sonae Para rubber 



trees under circumstances which would usually b3 



regarded as unfavourable. 



Some Para rubber seedlings were planted in 1894 in 

 a wood situated on the steep slope of a hill at the back of the 

 Botanic Gardens. The tree growth arou-ild was very thick, 

 providing considerable shade, and there was, in addition, 

 a good deal of undergrowth. The soil was a stiff clay. 



For ten years the ruliber trees were forgotten, but when 

 discovered in 1904, they had made surprisingly rapid develop- 

 ment although crowrled up with other trees. On the slope 

 "the trees lessen in girth in iirf>prjrtion to the steepness of the 

 hill, the slopes of which show signs iif much washing in 

 jrainy weather. 



In 1904 the trees so situated varied in circumference from 

 24 to 38;^ inches at 3 feet from the ground. The finest trees, 

 however, were found on the top of the hill where the land 

 was more flat. Here three trees measured 53J, QOh, and 

 -<32| inches respectively, in girth at 3 feet fmm the ground. 

 The second tree was 100 feet in height, althongh but four- 

 teen vears of age. This is stated to be a record for Hcven 

 Jrra-uHeiiifis. 



In the past four years the trees have continued to 

 • develop, and the three at the top of this hill measured fiO, 

 72, and 79 inches in circumference respectively, in 1908. This 

 shows a respective increase in girth of 206, 2'87, and 4 06 

 inches per annum over the four years. The average growth 

 in circumference of big Para rubber tree's is usually about 

 "2 inches per year. Younger trees grow faster. 



The above facts were thought worthy of publication, 

 ina.snuich as the trees in question are fully twice as large as 

 trees of the same age grown in the open, under what are 

 generally considered good plantation conditions, in which the 

 surrounding trees have been carefully felled, and the under- 

 growth cleared away. 



The trees have been tapped and have given good returns 

 of rubber. 



AGRICULTURAL WORK IN INDIA. 



A number of interesting subjects relating to 

 -Agricultural progress, and the most suitable means of 

 bringing it about, were discussed at a meeting of the 

 Indian EJoard of Agriculture, which was held early in 

 last year, and attendee! by representatives from all the 

 provinces of India. 



One of the most important among the practical (pies- 

 tions dealt with was as to the best means of bringing the 

 -work of the Agricultural Department home to small cultiva- 

 tors." This is a [joint of great importance in all countries in 

 which .\gricultural Departments are carrying on work »i 

 investigation and demonstration for tlie benefit of planters 

 and small cultivators. The poor state of primary education 

 in India makes it especially difficult for the Department to 

 reach the mass of the people in that country, and therefore 

 the attempt is being made to work from the top down- 

 wards, and to bring about a gradual improvement of the 

 agricultural industry through the medium of the bigger 

 landholders, who are in a better position to receive instrnc- 

 aion. It is evident that for this attempt to succeed, there 



nuist be mutual confidence between the three bodies concerned 

 — the Agricultural Department, the larger landholders, and 

 the small cultivators. 



Although the conditions existing in the Indian provinces 

 necessarily vary considerably from those which obtain in the 

 West Indies, yet the methods which have been found to 

 encourage interest in the work of the Department among 

 the [jeople concerned are worthy of mention. 



Chief among these methods is the formation of local 

 associations among various classes, with the stated object 

 of introducing agricultural improvements. These associa- 

 tions are likelj' to be of most value when orticers of 

 the Department and the more prominent agriculturists of the 

 district can maintain a close personal touch with the mass of 

 the cultivators. 



The small village associations are particularly useful to 

 the members. In districts where these associations have been 

 the means of introducing improvements of obvious value, 

 their usefulness is naturally well recognized. 



In view of the fact that the Indian Agricultural Depart- 

 ment is still young, it has not y^t been possible to provide 

 definite demonstrations of pro\ed value to agriculturists in 

 all parts of the country, and difficulty is likely to be experi- 

 enced in some parts in recommending the work of the Depart- 

 ment to the people. So many variable factors arise in agri- 

 cultural practice that progress must necessarily be slow. It 

 is mentioned that the introduction of a new crop or variety, 

 or of a manurial practice, though fully tested at an experi- 

 ment farm, may fail unless the farm is thoroughly representa- 

 tive of the district. The cost has to be very carefully 

 calculated, or a new method may be beyond the reach of 

 a small cultivator. It must be borne in mind, too, that 

 agricultural changes follow ecoriomic changes, instead of 

 leading up to them. As an example of this, it is mentioned 

 that the extended cultivation of cassava on poor hill soils 

 was brought about in Travancore as the result of a rise in 

 the price of grain, which drove the poorer classes to find 

 a substitute, l^nless grain had risen in price it is probable 

 that it w(aild have been useless to urge the small landholders 

 to cultivate the poor hillside land. 



Speaking broadly, then, the two things on which the 

 success of agricultural associations in bringing about direct 

 improvement depend, would appear to l:>e confidence in the 

 advisers, leading to their advice being carefully follow^ed, and 

 the provision only of carefully considered and tested improve- 

 ments for demonstration, with arrangement f(jr efficient 

 management. 



Farms have been established in many districts, and iin 

 these demonstration work, similar to tliat of the Agricultural 

 Association but more under Department control, is in 

 jn-ogress. A useful branch of activity which these farms can 

 carry out is in the provision of good seed. 



Village agencies have also been established by the Indian 

 Agricultural Department for the .sale or hire of improved 

 implements. An especially useful feature of this work is 

 that reiiairs can be arranged for by workmen employed by 

 the Department. 



( )ther means of disseminatiog" agricultural information 

 and of bringing about improvenient.s are through the medium 

 of agricultural publications, botli in English and the vernacu- 

 lar, by the establishu.ent of local Agricultural Show.s, and liy 

 the provision of travelling agricultural instructors. 



Some work has been done directly with small cultivator.s. 

 Short courses of instruction for these people have been given 

 on the Bombay Farm, dealing with special matters, such as 

 cotton seed selection. The sons of cultivators are also taken 

 for instruction for longer periods on these farms. 



