28 



I have only to add to this now, that an article has appeared 

 in " Indian Planting and Gardening " from which I give the 

 following extract : — 



" The Ceara Rubber tree (Manihot Glaziovii) is now 

 " attracting more attention than it did some five years ago, 

 " when it was brought prominently into notice in these 

 " columns. 'Chose who are thinking of planting this tree 

 " will be interested to learn that it has been seriously sug- 

 "' gested to grow it as an annual crop like sugar. E. Mauser, 

 " of New York, puts the following questions to the 'India 

 " Rubber World ' (March, 1900) : ' In a late number of your 

 " 'paper you advocated planting Ceara rubber as an annual 

 " 'crop like sugar cane, stating that at least as much rubber 

 " ' should be produced per acre as cane produces in sugar. 

 " ' As I take it, cane produces at least one ton of sugar per acre, 

 " ' and I beg to ask : (1) Could a ton of net rubber be harvested 

 " ' yearly from such a field of one-year-old Ceara rubber 

 "'cane? (2) What soil, etc. is required?' The editor of 

 " our contemporary replied as follows : ' These questions 

 " ' form a problem that it would be difficult if not impossible 

 " ' to answer satisfactorily at this time. A solution is being 

 " ' earnestly sought, however, and those making the experi- 

 " ' ment are confident of achieving success. We shall keep a 

 " ' close watch on this phase of the rubber industry and shall 

 " ' publish the result of our observation at as early a date as 

 "'possible. With regard to soil and climate suitable for 

 " ' planting Ceara, it is probable that arid land and a tropical 

 " ' climate in which there were marked wet and dry seasons 

 " ' would be the best.' " 



Without at present offering any opinion as to the feasibility 

 of this plan, I can only repeat that the tree grows quite well in 

 the coast districts of Natal, but I do not think it likely that 

 a ton of rubber can be obtained from stems of a year old. 

 The same method was suggested some time ago for obtaining 

 rubber from Gri/ptostegia madagasc.ariensis, Linn., a plant which 

 also succeeds well in Natal, but I have heard no more of it, 

 nor do I know whether the experiment wat ever tried. 



I have the honour to be, 

 Gentlemen, 



J, MEDLEY WOOD. 



