271 
PARA RUBBER IN THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 
Plants of Para dete were forwarded direct from Kew to 
cedi in 1876. 1877 Mr. Murton reported : “ Our climate 
is evidently suited ra the growth of Hevea, judging by the 
Sw P 
Mr. (now Sir Hugh) Low reported : “The Heveas are 12 to 14 feet 
high. They take to the country immensely. 
Kew possesses very little information in regard to the number 
and character of the Para rubber trees now existing at Singapore. 
Mr. Ridley, Director of the Gardens and Forest Department, was, 
however, good enough to forward photographs, in May last, of a 
rubber iinr pen in the Botan ic Gardens, showing a grove of 
trees of different ages and sizes. One of these had been tapped 
at nine years old, and had yielded two pounds of rubber 
An interesting account of the original trees interd at Kuala 
Kangsar by Sir Hugh Low was lately given by Mr. R. Derry in 
Perak Museum Notes, Vol. IL, pp. 101-102. They are yielding 
pits freely (5, d last year), and are considered at present of 
value bearers than as rubber producers. The 
following letter Has len iene éd from Mr. Derry :— 
CURATOR, GOVERNMENT GARDENS AND PLANTATIONS, TAIPING, 
PERAK, TO ROYAL GARDENS, KEW 
Government Plantations Office, Taiping, 
DEAR SIR October 
T AM now able to reply to your letter, dated ‘December 14, 1896, 
with reference to Para rubber trees planted by Sir Hugh Low at 
Kuala Kangsar i Pera 
It is quite mistake to Eug that these yield no rubber. 
I have PATA over 1 cwt., nd the trees run quite freely. 
From a few trees I have collected 5 lbs., each and only stopped 
for fear of taking too much. 
I notice in the extract from Sir Hugh Low's letter d. you 
sent me) that the trees had previously been tapped by Dyaks 
unsuccessfully. As you are aware, Para rubber does n exude 
' for some days after the incisions have been made, and Dyaks, who 
are familiar with such rubbers as Alstonia, Ficus, Willughbeia, &c., 
no doubt concluded that as the trees did not run at once when 
tapped there was not any rubber—hence the coma 
am now sending samples home for valuation. 
&c., 
'The Director, (Signed) " R. DERRY. 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
The following further particulars, communicated by Mr. Derry, 
are taken from the Perak Government Gazette for April 8, 1898 :— 
Para Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis). 
Many trees have been tapped, and a report on the work submitted. 
The rubber obtained is not yet sufficiently smoked ag sending 
home, but samples have been valued in Mincing Lane at 2s. 8d. 
and 3s. per pound, and considered equal to Brazilian Ed 
rubber, and also worth 1s. per ii more than that —' sent 
home from the Straits, j 
