RUBBER IN BRITISH AFRICA 27 



Considerable attention has been devoted in Nyasaland 

 to the cultivation of exotic rubber-yielding trees. It 

 has been found that the climate of the Shire Highlands 

 is not suitable for the growth of the Para tree, and the 

 only part of the Protectorate where this tree will thrive 

 is the West Nyasa district. An area of 762 acres has 

 been planted with Para in this district, but the trees are 

 not yet ready for tapping. 



The Ceara tree, on the other hand, has been found 

 to grow well in many parts of Nyasaland and has been 

 planted on a fairly large scale. In March 1913 there were 

 7,(359 acres planted with this tree. The rubber obtained 

 from the trees is of good quality and consignments have 

 been sold at very satisfactory prices in London. 



Zanzibar and Pemba 



The island of Pemba possesses two indigenous rubber- 

 yielding plants, viz., the vine Landol^nhia Kirkii, Dyer, 

 and the tree Mascarenhasia elastica, K. Schum. 



The Landolphia vine is very restricted in its distri- 

 bution and only occurs in a small forest 3 or 4 miles in 

 length with a mean width of 1 mile. The yield of rubber 

 from the vines during 1909 and 1910 was about 1^ tons 

 per annum. 



Mascarenhasia elastica is reported to be fairly widely 

 distributed in Pemba, but has not yet been found in 

 Zanzibar island. It furnishes a small yield of rubber of 

 good quality. 



The Ceara tree has been introduced into both Zanzibar 

 and Pemba and found to grow well. Considerable 

 numbers of the trees have been planted by the Govern- 

 ment and the natives, and tapping has already commenced. 



Experiments are also being conducted with Para and 

 Castilloa trees. 



Transvaal 



The rubber-yielding plants indigenous to the Transvaal 

 consist of Landolphia vines, the principal of which is 

 Landolphia Kirkii, Dyer. These vines occur in the 

 Zoutpansberg and Lydenburg districts, situated in the 

 north-eastern and eastern part of the Province, but 

 they have not yet been exploited on a commercial scale. 



