858 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



fruit of which was removed. The ripening period of ^Diana, Lindherbe,Neva Munson, 

 and Rommel were not hastened at all ]>y ringing; the other varieties matured from 

 1 to 18 days earlier. With 16 varieties the size of the berry was not increased by 

 ringing, while with 21 others the size was increased from 5 to 40 per cent, averaging 

 18 per cent. The quality of fruit does not appear to have been injured in a single 

 instance by ringing. 



Rubber planting in the West Indies, J. H. Hart ( West Indian Bnl., 2 {1901), 

 No. 2, pp. 100-11.3, figs. 6). — This article discusses the subject of rubber culture in 

 the West Indies, the best kind of rubber trees to grow, cost of establishing a planta- 

 tion, the best methods of planting the trees, harvesting and marketing the product, 

 etc. Some trees of CastUloa dastica, ])lanted in the Royal Botanic Gardens of Trini- 

 dad 25 or 30 years ago, are reported as having a height of 75 ft. with a girth of 6 ft. 

 3 ft. from the ground. A tree planted in 18S8 now measures 40 ft. in height and 55 

 in. in girth. These trees produce quantities of good seed from April to June. The 

 best 5 trees of a group planted in 1898 now average 18 ft. in height and 12 in. in 

 girth. One of the largest trees in the garden was tested by tapping. It yielded 2.14 

 lbs. of rubber fluids and 0.69 11). or 82 per cent of clean rubber. The rubber pro- 

 duced was of excellent quality. The fluid taken from young trees gave 25 per cent 

 of rubV)er; this was hard and brittle and of a very inferior quality. 



The bleeding of Castilloa trees \>y light wounds is reported to be tedious and 

 expensive, and is believed to be economically performed only on large trees when 

 planted closely together. In order to make the cultivation of this ruljber tree profit- 

 able, the author believes that it will be necessary to grow it on large areas by itself. 



Para rubber trees ( Hevea brasiliensis) also grow well at the botanic gardens. Trees 

 planted in 1898 averaged in 1901 6J in. in girth 3| ft. from the ground, and most of 

 them were over 18 ft. high. One of the largest trees in the garden has a girth of 

 over 5 ft. and is 50 ft. high. It is supposed to have been planted over 25 years ago. 

 The rubber made of this species is of excellent quality and it appears to keep better 

 than any other kind and ma)' be taken from the trees at less expense than from the 

 Central American rubber trees. Several trees of ITerea confii.m have been planted at 

 the gardens, but the rubber of the young trees is of poor quality. Ceara rubber 

 [Mdniliot glaziovii) seems suitable only for dry hillsides or mountain lands. In its 

 later stages it grows slowly and seems to produce but little rubber. Another species 

 growing in the garden which promises well is the West African, Ir^, or Lagos silk 

 rubber tree {Funtumia elastica). The trees planted in 1898 are now 132 ft. high and 

 average 7 in. in girth. Even now these trees bleed freely and the rubber made from 

 the fluids obtained is of good quality, approaching Para in value. The species grows 

 well either in the shade or in the sun. It lias not been sufficiently long under 

 observation to warrant conclusions regarding it. 



A number of other rubber plants are mentioned which will also grow in the West 

 Indies, biit the Central American rul>ber tree appears to be the one best suited for 

 general cultivation. Para, it is thought, while taking longer to grow may prove 

 more profitable in the end than Central American trees. Thick, close planting, to 

 secure straight stems, is advised. The cost of planting has varied between $30 and 

 $40 per acre. Relative to yield, the author states as follows: 



"Our trials show that at least half a ]>ound of (by rubber can l^e taken at one time 

 from a single tree of Castilloa, without affecting the seed-bearing powers of the tree. 

 Trees of Hevea brasiliensis, still more carefully treated, a,n(l oi)erated on within easy 

 reach of the hand when standing on the ground, have given a gross weight of 2.26 lbs. 

 of rubber, the major portion of which, weighing 15.8 oz., is of excellent quality." 



Further notes on the growth of rubber trees, particularly Castilloa elastica, are given 

 in an appendix by ]\I. Short, together with a general discussion of the subject. 



Rubber culture in Nicaragua, G. Waldron (f^. S. Consular Rpts., 67 {1901), 

 No. 254, pp. 431-433). — The methods of growing rubber trees in Nicaragua and 



