169 
XXXIV.—ASSAM RUBBER IN EGYPT. 
[ K.B., 1897, pp. 429-430, & 1899, p. 87.] 
The following correspondence gives the promising vium of an 
attempt to produce rubber from Ficus elastica in Egypt : 
Mr. FLOYER to ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
Cairo, May 2, 1897. 
ok you very much for the seeds ` of Ficus elastica, I 
have put in this spring some 50,000 cuttings, and about 96 per 
cent. are doing well, owing to favourable weather. But, according 
to Indian experience, the tree does better from seed 
We need millions of trees as shade for the new agricultural 
roads, and some of them may well be rubber producers, in view 
of the fact that the present supply is obtained in men measure 
through the destruction of the t 
The i o here T more freely than those of the Chardwar 
experi I have posted a small sample of the India-rubber. 
The ‘product is very uniform, and a small sample is as good asa 
larg 
win peo you shortly some gutta from Calotropis. 
Yours, &c., 
(Signed) ERNEST A. FLOYER. 
Messrs. HECHT, LEVIS, and KAHN to ROYAL GARDENS, 
KEW 
21, Ninoe Lane, TER E.C., 
May 19, 1897. 
DEAR SIR, 
WE have your ar. of yesterday ; also a sample of rubber. 
is equal in quality to the fine Darjeeling Assam, and if it comes 
a exactly like this sample equally strong and pure, it would at 
the present moment sell at 2s. 6d. per lb., and such rubber could 
be readily sold at any tim 
Always at your service, we are, dear Sir, 
Pi & 
urs, &e., 
(Signed) HECHT. LEVIS, and KAHN. 
t Short note in the Kew Bultesh. 1897, p. 429, Miami md 
mmencement of an attempt to pro oduce rubber ir Ficu 
elasiten in in En The following two supplementary fesli e 
the promise that Mr. Floyer has met with in continuing the 
experiment :— 
Mr. E. A. FLOYER to ROYAL GARDENS, KEW, 
Cairo, July 17, 1398. 
SIR, 
THANK you for sending me the Bulletin about our India- 
deck 
trying the yield of each tree. Mr. Luiji 
inane of "the Gezira Palace, has placed some trees 28-30 
