164 
8. These rubber trees can also readily be propagated from 
cuttings if only perfectly ne young branches or shoots are used ; 
but young trees so raised never are so hardy as the seedlings, and 
o not make equally good anew afterwards. 
9. To ensure the greatest possible amount of moisture in the 
dioéghobs, the plantations of Ficus elastica have been made in 
the moist evergreen forest near the foot of the hills, through 
which lines 40 feet in width were cleared 100 feet apart from 
centre to centre of the lines, thus having 60 feet of "- standing 
between the lines; on these cleared lines the mo s for the 
planting of the seedlings or saplings are thrown up x en of 
25 feet apart, care has to be taken afterwards to prevent the forest 
left s i 
trees nding closing in above, over the lines, and the rubber 
trees plan which they have always a tend o do, 
d which, if not guarded against, is detrimental to the 
growth of the young rubber trees. The undergrowth, which 
springs up on these lines and grows most vigorously has also to be 
cleared two or three times in the year for the first four or five 
years to admit air for the young rubber trees, but beyond this, and 
the putting S PUSH OMNE some more earth into the mounds, 
nothing is necessary. 
10. The lines on which the rubber trees are planted are cut in 
an east and west direction, so as to protect the young rubber trees 
against the strong sun in the middle of the day; the atmosphere 
rA keeps moister in this case than if the lines were cut south 
an rth. 
11. High ground is always best, and swampy groon ee 
water lodges should be avoided, but the tree grows very well o 
alluvial flats on the banks of rivers, even though this be endet 
for a few days once or t wice in the year. 
GUSTAV MANN, 
CUM: p" "Yreats, Assam. 
XXXIIL—CULTIVATION OF INDIA-RUBBER IN 
ASSAM. 
[K.B., 1896, pp. 171-174.] 
The Assam rubber plant (Ficus elastica, Roxb.) is a large 
T sta iree found in ne forests from the ae s ine Sikkim 
Himalaya eastward to Assam and Arracan. Kurz remarks that 
is frequent in upper Trasg ‘gies whoie forests gate in the or 
of Hookhoom. The Government of India has of late years 
attempted to establish regular plantations of rubber trees in Assam 
and ras. emorandum, by Mr. Gustav Mann, Serom 
of Forests, Assam, describing the growth of trees from se eds, was 
ven in rs Kew "Bulletin, 1891, pp. 100-2 [p. 162]. In the Kew 
Bulletin, 1892, p. 68, it was stated that the imports into io fs 
cou pt of Assam and Rangoon rubber in 1491 amounted to 
fons. 
The Government of India issued directions in May, 1884, that 
for five years from that date the Assam plantations should be 
