13 



must be cultivated on a fairly large scale to ensure success. It is 

 impossible, therefore, to commence experiments with rubber 

 now, if we mean to keep pace with other parts of the world. 



I can only in this short paper make a mental resume of the 

 valuable articles which have been written by the Director of 

 Public Gardens and by the Secretary of the Agricultural Society, 

 as well as by several authorities on rubber cultivation and to 

 embody their views and conclusions with the small experience 

 with experiments I have carried on for the past year. 



VARIETIES OF RUBBER. 



Castilloa elastica, assuming that the correct variety is 

 obtained and that seeds have been taken from latex-producing 

 trees, can safely be planted in any district where the breadfruit 

 thrives. 



This rubber-producing plant, it has been said, will die back 

 when severely tapped if it is grown upon land unsuited to it. 

 I am inclined to believe this, because it is such a luxuriant 

 grower and is not as hardy as the Para rubber tree. I note that 

 the Para stands transplanting much better than Castilloa : but 

 on the other hand, under favourable conditions, Castilloa will 

 grow larger and yield considerable quantities of latex in a 

 country that may be called its natural habitat. Plants scattered 

 about in the bush several years ago and forgotten, have survived. 

 To-day from one end of Jamaica to the other may be found 

 some Castilloa trees that compare favourably with trees grown 

 in any part of the world in respect to size and quality of latex. 



The advantages that Hevea has over Castilloa in this 

 country, are its hardiness, and its 'wound response' stimulating 

 flow of latex in tapping. On the other hand, Castilloa, under 

 favourable conditions, yields earlier, forms better shade for 

 cocoa, and eventually should give more latex per acre than 

 Hevea. More care will have to be taken in the tapping and in 

 the selection of the soil before planting. 



In dry districts, Hevea would probably thrive better than 

 Castilloa, for it is a very hardy plant. 



The Ceara plant {Manihot Glaziovii) has been recommended 

 as suitable to dry districts, but the difficulty in tapping, slow 

 growth, small yield, and value of latex place it, to my mind, as 

 being quite unfit for this island, where land abounds which 'can 

 produce better varieties. 



One of the serious points to be dealt with in the cultivation 

 of these two varieties is the production of seedlings. From 

 the time the seed germinates no check should be given to the 

 plant, especially in the case of the Castilloa. In Jamaica, 

 there is quite sufficient large healthy full-bearing milk-yielding 

 Castilloa trees to furnish ail the seedlings required. These 

 trees drop their seed in July and August and it should be 

 gathered daily and planted out at once in boxes to germinate 

 Small boxes conveniently holding 100 plants each should be used. 

 Bamboo pots although easily portable should not be used, as thay 



