CHAPTER XIV 



THE ASSAM RUBBER TREE {FICUS ELASTIC A, ROXB.) AND 

 OTHER SPECIES OF FICUS 



Species of Ficus. — ^A number of species of the genus Ficus, 

 belonging to the natural order Urticaceae, furnish rubber 

 or rubber-like material. Some species yield rubber of 

 good quality, others give an inferior resinous rubber, 

 whilst others again furnish hard, resinous products, re- 

 sembling gutta percha more than rubber in physical 

 properties, but containing a quantity of inferior caoutchouc 

 and no gutta. 



The best of the rubber-yielding species is Ficus elastica, 

 Roxb., the well-known Assam rubber tree, but several 

 other species such as Ficus Rigo, Bailey, and Ficus 

 Schlechteri, Warb., both of which are natives of New 

 Guinea, also yield good rubber. 



None of the African species of Ficus produces rubber 

 of first quality, and only one, Ficus Vogelii, Miq., is of 

 importance as a source of inferior rubber. Several other 

 species, however, such, as Ficus platyphylla, Del., Ficus 

 bihracteata, Warb., Ficus trachyphylla, Fenzl., and Ficus 

 utilis, Sim, yield gutta-like products which are utilised 

 for technical purposes. 



Ficus elastica, Roxb. — This species is a native of south- 

 eastern Asia and was first recorded from Assam. It 

 occurs on the lower slopes of the Himalayas from Nepal 

 eastwards, and thence extends southwards through 

 Assam and Burma into the Malay Peninsula and the 

 neighbouring islands. 



It is found growing wild under a wide range of con- 

 ditions of soil, temperature, and elevation, the essential 

 features for its growth apparently being well-drained 

 land and a very humid atmosphere. It is stated to occur 

 in Assam up to 3,000 ft. on the Khasia HiUs and in Upper 



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