lxii. Timehri. 



from Timehri, Volume X, for the year 1897 the following extract 

 from a report the author of which was the late S. M. Bellairs, writing 

 in consultation with the Government Botanist, the late G. S. Jenman : — 



"With regard to paragraph 16, suggesting that the Govern- 

 " ment might scatter India Bubber seeds in suitable places ; the question 

 " is to find such suitable places that are accessible. It is of no use to 

 " scatter seeds in the forest. The struggle for existence in a tropical 

 " forest is so keen, that out of fifty seeds scattered not one germinates; 

 " and out of five hundred that germinate scarce one attains any growth. 

 " As a proof of this, the well-known fact may be adduced, that when a 

 " clearing is made in the forest a ' second growth ' immediately springs 

 " up of itself consisting of trees quite different to those cut down, and 

 " this second growth must spring from seeds that have been scattered 

 " many years ago and lain dormant for a very long time, waiting the 

 " chance of a ray of light to enable them to grow. Unless India-Bubber 

 " seeds possess wonderful vitality they would die before the chance arrived. 



" There is no cleared land in the interior that will grow trees. 

 " Whatever is suitable for trees is covered with forest. 



" The only chance for these India-Bubber seeds would be to plant 

 " them on some land that has already been cleared, and to look after the 

 "trees when saplings.'' 



This statement is one of importance not only in connection with 

 the then suggested mode of planting rubber-trees but with that of any 

 reafforestation which may in future be contemplated with, for example, 

 such trees as crabwood {Carapa guianensis) ami balata-tree (Mimusops 

 globosa). 



Sapium Bubber. 



In 1897 some interest was taken in the probable exportation of the 

 excellent rubber then yielded by the Touchpong, Sapium Jenmani. Its 

 rubber had long been exported from the colony as it was the practice in 

 the earlier days of the balata-iudustry to mix the latex of the Sapium 

 with that of the balata-tree. Possibly on this lies the explanation of the 

 fact that some of the earlier writers when dealing witli balata described 

 it as being intermediate in properties to gutta-percha and india-rubber. 

 Owing to the interest taken by Sir Alexander Swetteuham in offering 

 in 1903 prizes for the best samples of rubber collected in the colony from 

 indigenous trees a small export trade in sapium rubber sprung up but it 

 never exceeded 7,000 lbs. of rubber in any one year. 



The recorded exports commenced with 950 lbs. in 1904 and rose 

 steadily to 6,870 lbs. in 1907, thence gradually decreasing, falling to less 

 than 200 Lbs. in 1912. The total amount of Sapium rubber exported 

 from the colony as such was appoximately 31,000. 



The ready sale of the Sapium rubber collected from indigenous trees 

 resulted in the planting of a considerable area — 400 to 500 acres — of 



