154 



The following table shows the daily yield of latex obtained in one 

 experiment designed to compare the two methods. 



Half-heuuing-bone Method. Fill Spiral Method. 



The latex was coagulated with acetic acid, ammonia solution 

 having been previously added to prevent coagulation on the cuts and 

 in the collecting cups. One cubic centimetre of glacial acetic acid 

 diluted with 250 cubic centimetres of water, was used to each 

 litre of diluted latex. 



The rubber was dried slowly in a cool chamber and exported in 

 biscuit form. The slow drying tends to induce the growth of mould, 

 and to prevent this, steps are being taken to effect the drying in a 

 special drying room, after using a smoking machine. 



Experiments carried out on a small estate near the Botanic 

 Station serve to indicate to what extent and in- what time a Para 

 rubber estate comes into bearing in the hilly districts of Seychelles 

 The estate in question contains l,8oo trees planted in 1905 and 600 

 trees planted in 1907 and 1908. The soil is rocky and inferior, the 

 trees overcrowded and irregularly planted 10 or 12 feet apart ; yet in 

 spite of these adverse conditions about 10 per cent, of the five-year-old 

 trees have reached tappable size, j6 in. and over in girth at 3 

 feet from the ground. On marshy land about 50 per cent, reach 

 tappable size in five years. The average yield of latex, on the twenty^ 

 third day of tapping, from trees 18 in. in girth was 16 cc. per tree by 

 the half-herring-bone method and 24 cc. by the full spiral method 

 The best tree, 23 in. in girth, yielded nearly 100 cc. of latex daily 

 during forty-two days, and this large yield had not decreased at the 

 time the report was drawn up. 



No fungoid disease has yet appeared on the Hevea in Seychelles, 

 but as several diseases of other plants, which have spread to Hevea 

 in Ceylon and other countries are present, precautions are being taken 

 against infection. 



An attempt was made to introduce rubber stumps from Ceylon, 

 but the experiment was not very successful. The proportion of 

 plants raised from stumps in two consignments received was 30 

 per cent, and 50 per cent, respectively. The number of plants 

 raised from local seeds is steadily increasing, and it is anticipated 

 that in two or three years it will Le unnecessary to import Hevea 

 seed for planting purposes 



