TREES THAT COUNT THE FICUS gi 



Indian Government relaxed its efforts in regard to the 

 Assam plantations in the year 1892, and the following 

 year much of the work was entirely suspended. It 

 was found that whereas mature trees gave as much 

 as 26 lb. of dry rubber per tree in one season, the 

 yield next year was as low as 1 lb. or even less. The 

 reason for such a disparity has never been explained, 

 but it may be due to some undiscovered property 

 in the flow of the latex which probably varies accord- 

 ing to local climatic surroundings, and not so much 

 to the seasons. Thus, the Ficus will flourish with 

 remarkable vigour and luxuriousness in situations 

 remote from the hills (its native habitat), but it 

 will yield no rubber. As a matter of fact, the tree 

 changes its character absolutely on the plains of 

 Bengal as against its behaviour in Malabar and the 

 hill country of Assam generally, where it exhibits 

 every one of its true characteristics and stands out 

 as the Ficus elastica pure and simple. The same 

 thing occurs in Queensland, where the trees planted 

 on the low plains produce nothing but a valueless 

 gum, whilst the same tree rearing its magnificent 

 proportions on the heights of New Caledonia yields 

 abundantly a highly valuable latex. 



In 1897 the Ficus was introduced into Egypt 

 through the agency of the Kew authorities, but little 

 information is forthcoming as to the results. It 

 would appear that the chief difficulty that faces the 

 planter in regard to the Ficus elastica is the enormous 

 elbow-room which the tree requires if left to itself. 

 Consequently a large acreage is necessary to ensure 

 a profitable return. 



