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the sap has shown specially good composition, and for 

 some years have yielded good results should primarily be 

 selected as seed parents. 



" Up to date Java planters have been liable to receive 

 seed from inferior trees; the best seed has, perhaps, been 

 retained for local use, or because it is not desired to send 

 seed to competitors. Hitherto Java planters have had to 

 be satisfied with this position because the available quan- 

 tity of seed was limited, but it can now be safely assumed 

 that seed production is far in excess of the demand. 



" Could not our Syndicate arrange for Java planters 

 anxious to lay down new plantations in the coming west 

 monsoon to send out a reUable man to the Straits on joint 

 account to be present at the collection and shipment of 

 the seed? 



' ' Before going further with the matter it would be well 

 to enquire from Buitenzorg, and also the Experimental 

 Station at Salatiga, for instructions." 



Straits and F.M.S. planters, please note that you have 

 been charging too much, packing your seeds badly, and 

 sending seeds from inferior trees to Java 1 I consider 

 that those insinuations should be backed up with ex- 

 amples, and I look forward to the Ned.-Ind. Syndicate 

 for some information on these points. 



The circular is a bit of a jumble. First it refers to 

 selection of seed parents, then to the desirability of sending 

 a man out to be present at the coMection and shipment of 

 seeds, and finally that they should take the advice of the 

 botanical authorities. I give if as my opinion that if 

 they had done the last first the circular would not have 

 been written. Let me explain one or two points. In the 

 first place, the presence of a planter ' ' at the collection and 

 shipment of seeds " would have no effect on the seed 

 parentage; even if he had selected trees for seed, he could 

 not very well run after the seeds scattered by the ex- 

 plosion of the fruits of Hevea. In the second place, to 

 select seed parents would cost hundreds of pounds; it 

 would be necessary to control pollination so that only the 

 best parentage, on both sides, was secured. The female 

 flowers on one tree may be fertilised by the pollen from 

 young trees on the next estate. Except you are able to 

 hand pollinate the flowers, as with vanilla, you will have 



