PARA RUBBER. 39 



Kalutara Distrk i 



During the year 1905 the acreage under Para rubber in the Kalu- 

 tara District has largely increased. The report of the District 

 Association for 1905 shows 6,038 acres in rubber alone and 7,256 

 in rubber planted through tea. making a total of 13,394 against 

 the figures (for 1904) of 3,128 acres in rubber alone and 6,759 

 planted through tea. It is probable that during 1906 a consider- 

 ably larger acreage of new land will be planted, but it is not thought 

 that very much more tea will be planted up with rubber. In addition 

 to the above, large acreages are being planted by European and 

 native proprietary plante a in the district. 



Several illustrations are given showing the growth of Para rubber 

 trees in various parts of the Kalutara District, some of them in the 

 young stages and many mature and now being tapped. 



South of Kalutara, in the Galle District, soils of similar character 

 an- met with and swamps frequently occur. According to the re- 

 port for 1905, no less than 2,500 acres were then in Para rubber 

 and other 2,500 acres were estimated for 1906. 



Mechanical Composition.--" The soil analyses show a slightly 

 coarser texture than those examined from the Kelani ; usually 

 fromllto 28 per cent, passes through the 90 mesh, 16 to 40 percent, 

 through the 60 mesh, 4 to 10 per cent, through the 30 mesh, 

 and Eand and small stones form from 30 to 70 per cent, of the 

 soil. The retentive power of moisture is very similar to the Kelani, 

 varying from 2 to 6 per cent." 



Chemical Composition. — " The organic matter shows a variation 

 similar to that in the Kelani Valley soils ; the general range is from 

 7 to 15 per cent., and the same can be said about the nitrogen, 

 which varies from 01 to 0' 15 per cent. This is of course excluding 

 swampy areas, which we have seen to be very rich in organic matter 

 and nitrogen, and alluvial soil such as that rpaoted below. The 

 potash varies from 004 to 0'2 per cent, and usually shows a re- 

 lation to the amount of magnesia, both being derived from the de- 

 composition of double silicates. The phosphoric acid varies from 

 a trace to 0*06 per cent., and this low percentage is common in most 

 Ceylon soils. The lime varies from 03 to 0" 15 per cent, and the 

 magnesia from 04 to 0'2 per cent/' 



.Matale District. 

 It is almost impossible to give the acreages under rubber in the 

 Matale District, but as far as can be gathered there were about 

 1,359 acres of cacao interplanted with rubber and 539 acres 

 in rubber alone in 1905. Plate 11, Series D, shows Para 

 rubber growing on Dangan estate, the property of the Rubber 

 Plantations. Ltd., where the rubber and cacao trees are about 5i 

 years old and ae both in bearing. Plate 2, Series ('.shows 

 Para rubber in association with tea, both in bearing and 

 doing well, on Nikakotua estate in the same district. 



