263 



other of disappointments due to adverse local conditions.— 5h//. 

 No. 49, Bureau of Plant Indiislry. 



Captain Short states : Tapping was carried on (at Richmond 

 estate) in February, 1904 with the following results : 



Total yield Average per tree. 



4 lb. 5 oz. 3M 02- dry rubber 



3 " 10 " 3 



4 " I " 4 " 



2 " II " 2H " 



5 " II " m " 



April 27 do ... 3 " " 3 " 



These fifty trees gave an average yield of just under i lb. of dry 

 rubber in the two tappings. 



The yield of latex varies greatly in trees of the same size and 

 age. Two trees out of these fifty gave 7i to 8^ cups of latex at 

 each tapping, the one tree yielding i lb. lO oz. of dry rubber in the 

 two tappings, the other I lb. 9 oz. Other trees tapped in the same 

 month gave I lb. in the two tappings and another gave | lb. in one 

 tapping. Trees of the same age and size gave less than half these 

 amounts. Why this should be I cannot say, and I believe no 

 explanation has yet been given to account for the difference in 

 the yield of latex. As far as my own observation goes, trees in 

 the open, or only partially shaded, appear to be better yielders, as 

 a rule, than those in' denser shade. 



In comparing this tapping with that of 1 899, it appears that, at 

 nine years old, a tree on an average yields about one-half of what 

 a tree thirteen to fourteen years old does. 



The results of the different tappings have led me to conclude 

 that from | lb. to I lb. of rubber per annum may be safely 

 reckoned on, as the average yield of a tree thirteen to fourteen 

 years old. 



It is intended at the next tapping to use a ladder, and to tap 

 as far as possible up the stem. No doubt the total yield of rubber 

 would then be greater. It is also intended to tap a few trees con- 

 tinuously for twelve to fourteen days, or every second day for a 

 month, although it is very doubtful if the yield of latex would be 

 much increased by so doing, or that the extra yield so obtained 

 would compensate for the greater damage to the tree. In this 

 respect the Castilloa appears to differ from the Para, and the 

 experiments to be tried in 1905 will probably do something towards 

 settling the point. 



The cost of collecting was 8d. to 9d. per lb., but this cost 

 would be reduced when tapping is carried on regularly and on a 

 larger scale. The rubber extracted from the nine-year old trees in 

 1899 to 1900 was valued at 3s. 9d. per lb., a good price at the time. 

 Information on Castilloa rubber may be found in the Bulletin 

 of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, as follows :— 1895, pp. 34- 

 38 ; 1898, p. 37 ; 1899, PP- 74-76, 85 ; 1900, pp. 2-7 ; 1901, p. 141- 

 And in the Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture, as follows : 



1904, pp. 101-103, 162-168, 188-192, 231-236, 257-260, 283-285; 



1905, pp. 13-20, 43-46, 67-70. 84-85, 133-134- 156-158, I 81-183, 

 229-230, 233-243 ; 1906, pp. 97-100, 145-150, 172-175- 



