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seeds. If not filed or prepared in other ways the seeds do not 

 generally germinate for a long time. Sometimes they lie in the 

 ground over a year. The generally adapted method to assist 

 germination is to file the seed. This is very laborious and ex- 

 periments have proved that the seeds can be made to germinate in 

 eight days, by the following method : 



Place a layer of fresh horse manure in a box, to the thickness of 

 about 6 inches, spread the seeds on this surface and cover with 

 about one inch of the same material mixed with a small quantity 

 of sand. The soil should be slightly packed and the box covered 

 with glass. If put in a warm place or in the sun germination 

 will take place very quickly. The seedlings should be planted as 

 soon as they are an inch of two high and some manure added to 

 the soil. After such a treatment the seedling will grow very 

 rapidly. In planting at stake the holes should be made as large 

 as possible, or at least four feet square. The soil should be well 

 weatliered and if too sour some lime should be added before 

 planting. 



The Cerea rubber tree needs no special care besides the clean- 

 ing of the soil. In some instances the trees have to be pruned if 

 branching too early. Generally it can be said in regard to any 

 kind of cultivated rubber tree that it should develop a trunk lo 

 to 12 feet high before we allow branching. It is not practicable 

 to tap higher on the trunk than above 8 feet and the sooner we 

 allow the tree to branch the greater will be the growth in girth. 

 It is after all the tapping area which is the ultimate goal in de- 

 veloping rubber trees for commercial purposes. We have there- 

 fore to encourage growth in the circumference of the tree. 



If we were to lay down any rules as to suitable localities fcr 

 the different rubber trees which can be grown in these islands we 

 would say that in sheltered valleys with good drainage Castiiia 

 should be planted not higher than 500 feet above sea level. We 

 can then plant Hevca on the slopes up to about 800 feet, and 

 above this Ceara can be grown probably not higher than 1200 

 feet. If in the future Sapiuin can be demonstrated a success 

 here this tree would probably be grown up to 2000 feet. 



On account of the comparatively expensixe labor in these 

 islands it may be advisable to plant Casfilla as above stated in 

 suitable localities, because this tree needs less labor during the 

 tapping than Hevca, which otherwise is the best producer. As 

 for Ceara we are still in the dark regarding suitable methods of 



