279 



rubbers. L. Jlorida, which occurs on the East coast, and L. Mannii 

 also afford part of the West African supply. (Kew Bulletin, 1892, 

 p. 68.) 



Laiidolpliia Heudclotii, which produces a good quality of rubber, 

 is being largely planted in the French African possessions. Owing 

 to the climbing habit of the Landolphias it is not practicable to 

 cultivate them in regular plantations as they require the support 

 of trees, and when once tapped several years must elapse before 

 they will yield another crop, but it is well to remember that from 

 these, and similar plants, a very important rubber industry was 

 started at the Gold Coast in 1882 ; and although previous to that 

 year no rubber whatever was exported from that colony, it had 

 attained in 1893 to the annual value of £200,000. 



I would suggest that plants of these climbers be established in 

 the forest lands belonging to the Crown, e.g., the Cockpit Country, 

 and in course of time they would probably become naturalized and 

 add to the value of such lands. 



Information on Landolphias may be found in the Bulletin of 

 j.he Botanical Department, Jamaica, No. 10, p. 4. 



JAMAICA RUBBER. 

 [Forsteronia floribtinda.) 



This rubber is not yet known in commerce although attention 

 has been called to it in the Annual Reports, and in the Bulletin of 

 the Botanical Department. 



Source— \\. is obtained from the stems of a climber known locally 

 as " Milk Withe" or " Rubber Withe" which are generally as thick 

 as a man's wrist, but I have seen great lianas in the Cockpit 

 Country in St. James with stems six inches or more in diameter for 

 a distance of 20 to 30 feet from the ground, then branching into 

 several stems and growing to the tops of trees over lOO feet in 

 height. Such stems on being slightly cut with a machete exuded 

 latex in the greatest profusion. The plant also grows over the 

 rocks fully exposed to the sun, or climbs over bushes. 



Locality — The " Milk Withe" grows plentifully in the limestone 

 districts of the central and western parishes where the surface is 

 exceedingly rough and difficult to traverse on account of the sharp 

 and jagged edges of the hard crystalline limestone. The soil is 

 lodged in hollows of varying extent and depth between the pro- 

 jecting rocks. 



Collection of Milk — When a cut is made through the bark of the 

 Milk Withe a milky juice flows out for about two minutes, but a 

 number of incisions are necessary before sufficient fluid is collected 

 to fill a four-ounce bottle. Care should be taken not to cut into 

 the bark deeper than is necessary so that the wound may soon be 

 healed by the formation of new bark. 



Yield — Messrs. Silver, of Silvertown India Rubber Company, 

 reported on samples sent to them in 1888, that one quart of juice 

 yielded one pound of dry and washed caoutchouc, or about 22 

 ounces of ordinary crude caoutchouc, but the sample sent in 1890 



