THE PARA RUBBER TREE 107 



month throughout the year, the monthly variation being 

 from 5 to 24 in., and the annual rainfall ranges from 75 

 to 160 in. Under the conditions prevailing in the island 

 the mmimum rainfall for the successful cultivation of the 

 tree is regarded as about 70 in. per annum. 



The climate of the Federated Malay States has proved 

 to be exceedingly suitable for the cultivation of the Para 

 tree. This country has a hot moist climate and a very 

 uniform temperature. The general rainfall is about 90 

 to 100 in. per annum, and is distributed throughout the 

 year ; the driest month, July, seldom has less than 3^ in. 

 of rain. The average maximum and minimum tempera- 

 tures in the low country are 90° and 70° F. respectively, 

 with a mean of about 80° F. Para trees are growing 

 in the Federated Malay States at elevations up to 2,500 ft., 

 but the best results are obtained from sea-level up to 300 ft. 



In Southern India the climatic conditions are on the 

 whole very different from those of Ceylon. It is much 

 hotter at similar elevations, and except in certain districts 

 there are at least three months of dry weather or v/ith 

 a rainfall of less than 1 in. per month. Where the rain- 

 fall is sufficient, tlie Para tree can be grown at higher 

 altitudes than in Ceylon, and satisfactory results are being 

 obtained on estates situated up to 3,500 ft. above sea-level. 



On the West Coast of Africa the Para tree has been 

 successfully grown at Aburi in the Gold Coast at an 

 elevation of 1,500 ft. with an average annual rainfall of 

 47 in. and an average mean temperature of about 81° F. 

 The tree, however, does much better at Tarquah in the 

 same Colony, where the altitude is about 300 ft. and the 

 average rainfall about 70 in. per annum. 



In Southern Nigeria the Para tree is being cultivated 

 with very satisfactory results in the wet zone of the 

 Colony lying to the south of 6° 15' N. latitude. At eight 

 places within this area the rainfall ranges from 8708 to 

 25r49 in. per annum, with an average of 128"67 in., whilst 

 the maxmium temperature during December to March is 

 88° F. and the minunum during May to August is 73° F. 



In Uganda, Para trees have grown well at Entebbe, 

 which is situated at an elevation of 3.863 ft., and has an 

 average rainfall of about 58 in. and maximum and mini- 

 mum temperatures of 86' 5° F. and 55° F. respectively. 

 The climate of the East Africa Protectorate is not very 



