138 Report on the Caoutchouc Tree of Assam. [Feb. 



lence. Mr. McCosh lias indeed declared it to be inferior to the South 

 American article, but this decisive judgment has evidently been made 

 on casual examination of perhaps the worst possible specimens. Deci- 

 sions such as these are totally inadmissible in any work, much more so 

 in the one alluded to* which from the materials placed at the author's 

 disposal, should at least have been correct. 



On the points of comparative excellence of the two products we shall 

 soon, it is to be hoped, be set at rest. Lieut. VETCHf has submitted nu- 

 merous excellent specimens to the London Caoutchouc Company, and Mr. 

 Scott and Mr. Brownlow are engaged on a series of experiments, 

 which promise complete success. 



It is to be hoped that samples may be sent to the Society of Arts, 

 whose reports on all these subjects are so excellent and so readily and 

 obligingly furnished. I think, however, it is desirable that Dr. O'Shaugh- 

 nessy be requested to draw up an analysis both of the Assamese and 

 American products, as that analysis would at once set at rest the com- 

 parative amount of caoutchouc as well as of its solubility. 



As this tree promises to become an important source of revenue, all 

 possible precautions should be taken, to ensure the present stock from 

 injury and to increase the number of trees so that the province may be 

 able to meet any demand. With reference to the first point it will be 

 quite sufficient to limit the bleedings to the cold months, so that during 

 the season of the greatest activity of vegetation, the trees may remain 

 unmolested, and this is more particularly necessary from our having 

 reasons for supposing that the juice will be during the period alluded to 

 much less rich in caoutchouc. I would thereforepropose the interval 

 between April 1st and November 1st as the season of rest. The size 

 of the tree being such as to preclude any possibility of great injury 

 resulting from the abstraction of the juice, the bleedings if indeed it be 

 possible to limit them, may recur at intervals of one month. 



The best check, however, to over-depletion will be the rigorous re- 

 jection of all over thin juice. The plan now adopted for the extraction 

 of the juice needs no modifications, for it is simple, effectual and cleanly. 

 For increasing the number of trees the formation of plantations will be 

 necessary. The sites chosen for these should be both in the forests 

 themselves as well as in and about those villages which, from being situ- 

 ated near the edge of the forests, may seem adapted to the end in view. 



* Medical Topography of Assam. 



f It cannot be too well known, that it is owing to the exertions of this officer 

 that the existence of this valuable tree in abundance has been ascertained. 





