52 THE WHOLE ART OF RUBBER-GROWING 



usually beginning in its third year. The seed- 

 coat is of remarkable thickness, very tough 

 and hard, and if not properly understood germina- 

 tion is long and difficult. Accordingly the art of 

 raising the plant from seed was for many years a 

 sealed book to many people who desired to introduce 

 the tree to agriculturists in the tropical zone. 



In Ceylon splitting the seed-coat was tried, but it 

 was not a great success. This was effected by rasp- 

 ing off with a file the radicule edges of the seed. It 

 required much skill and care, as if the ends 

 were cut off, the embryo was of course injured and 

 the seed effectually destroyed. At Beira I have seen 

 the difficulty overcome in an original if hardly com- 

 mendable manner. Here the Portuguese planter dis- 

 tributed his seed to the native workers (man, woman 

 and child were alike favoured), who were instructed 

 to carry the seed in their mouths all day and every 

 day until salivation had made them amenable to 

 ready and rapid germination. Usually this novel 

 preparation lasted a whole week, and it was amusing 

 to watch the aviado carefully check over the seed 

 returned at the end of the period, which was generally 

 six or seven days, and woe betide any unfortunate 

 native who had surreptitiously disposed of any of 

 those not over-delicate morsels. 



One of the most effective ways of preparing the 

 seed for cultivation is to soak them in a weak solu- 

 tion of warm soda-water for a few hours, and then 

 place them in pure water for three or four days, when 

 they will be found quite soft and ready for immediate 

 propagation. 



