THE CEARA RUBBER TREE 141 



vitality for long periods the propagation of the plant is 

 rendered easy. As a result of these favourable features 

 large numbers of the trees were planted in various 

 countries, particularly in Ceylon, and high hopes were 

 entertained as to the probable value of cultivated Ceara 

 trees as a soui-ce of rubber. The results of tapping trials 

 were, however, uniformly disappointing, the amount of 

 rubber obtained bemg small, and planters gradually lost 

 interest in the trees, which, although growing well, 

 would apparently not furnish a remunerative yield of 

 rubber. 



More recently, however, the Ceara tree has again 

 come into prominence for cultivation purposes in certain 

 countries, as it can be grovvai in dry situations where other 

 rubber trees will not thrive, and, witii the introduction 

 of methods of tapping suited to its peculiarities, it has 

 been found that remunerative yields of rubber can be 

 obtained. La,rge numbers of the trees are at present 

 under cultivation in Brazil, East Africa, Southern India, 

 and other countries, and are furnishing rubber of excellent 

 quality, wliich realises very good prices in the market. 



Climatic Conditions and Soil.— The conditions under 

 which Ceara trees are found growing in Brazil have been 

 already described, and reference may now be made to 

 the behavioiu" of the trees under cultivation in other 

 parts of the tropics. 



Ceara trees can be grown successfully in a moderately 

 dry climate with a rainfall of about 40 in. per annum, 

 but they will also do well in a humid atmosphere, with 

 a rainfall of 100 in. or more, provided that the soil is 

 not permanently wet. This latter point is of considerable 

 importance in connection with the cultivation of Ceara 

 trees, which will grow upon almost any soil except a wet 

 one. The trees do well in favourable situations in 

 countries which have a hot dry season of four or five 

 months' duration and they also withstand considerable 

 variations in temperatiu-e. It is these features which 

 render the Ceara tree of special value for cultivation in 

 dry districts such as those of East Africa. 



In Ceylon the Ceara tree grows very freely, almost 

 like a weed, on all kmds of soil up to elevations of 3,000 ft. 

 and under rainfalls of 30 to 200 in. per annum. In 

 Uganda it is being cultivated successfully at elevations 



