14 COMMERCIAL BOTANY. 



them, however, perished on their journey. Plants were 

 afterwards sent to Saharanpur, Calcutta, Assam, and to 

 Burma. Subsequent reports from Ceylon showed that the 

 climate was apparently suited to the growth of the species, 

 forming handsome spreading trees, from which cuttings were 

 taken in large quantities, and after being struck were dis- 

 tributed. Plants were sent from Singapore to Perak, and 

 Mr. Low, reporting upon them under date February 3rd, 

 1879, says that "the Heveas are now 12 to 14 feet high. 

 They take to the country immensely." From Burma the 

 reports down to 1879 were favourable, but from Fiji, Cal- 

 cutta, Assam, Zanzibar, and Jamaica they have not been 

 assuring. It will be seen from these facts that no pains 

 have been spared to introduce into the British colonies and 

 dependencies a really useful plant for extended cultivation ; 

 and though the result has not been so satisfactory as was 

 anticipated, the introduction and cultivation of other plants 

 and the discovery of other sources of supply of rubber has 

 emanated from these efforts. But notwithstanding these 

 discoveries Para-rubber is still the principal source of supply, 

 the total imports of which were estimated during the year 

 1889 to amount to nearly 6,000 tons. 



CENTRAL AMERICAN EUBBER (Ccutittoa elastica). Next 

 to Para-rubber the plants that have received most attention 

 for the purpose of cultivation in other countries are those 

 which yield the kinds known as CENTRAL AMERICAN RUBBER 

 (Castittoa elastica) and CEARA SCRAP (Manihot Glaziovii). 

 The first-named began to attract the attention of the autho- 

 rities of Kew in 1875. In the " Kew Report " for that year 

 it is stated that " Mr. Robert Cross was despatched by the 

 India Office to Central America to obtain seeds and plants " 

 of this species. Upwards of 7,000 seeds were transmitted 

 to Kew, but all failed to germinate. With a good deal of 

 difficulty, and after undergoing shipwreck, Mr. Cross 

 succeeded in bringing home a considerable collection of 



