242 
Lagos will shortly be able to compete M the sister colony of the Gold 
Coast in the great etl of the produc 
Following this came the sic rti En that a new rubber-yielding . 
plant had been discovered in the colony of m and that it was a large 
tree timi distributed in the interior fore 
In the report on the Botanie Station at eint for ihe quarter ending 
31st December 1894 the Curator states: The rubber industry of the 
colony is repidly extending. Large quantities are collected around 
confined ; g 
probably belonging to the Apocynacee, found abundantly in the interior 
lands, also yields rubber. Mr. Leigh, one of Bact assistants at the station, 
was away above a week colle cting specim of this rubber. When 
ready they will be submitted to the AR ET at Kew for a report. 
e native name of the tree is *« Ire." Mr. Millen adds, “ It may prove 
very valuable to the colony.” 
In April 1895, Captain Denton, C.M.G., the eane eee com- 
send you by parcel post some specimens of the t enei name 
Trai eoni which the rubber which is sent from this part of the world 
is obtained. During the last six months it has become a valuable article 
of export, and there appears to be every chance ut the quantity i dens 
in 
easing. I obtained these specimens from the district betwee 
Tlogbero and Ilaso, where I saw the process F procuring the juice fiom 
the tree in course o of progre Irai tree, at the base, is between 
men, who have bad experience of the work in other places, contend that 
the tree can be tapped again with good results in about 18 months' time. 
If this is sc, we have started what is likely to prove a valuable industry.” 
So far it had not been possible to identify this new rubber-yielding 
tree. The specimens hitherto received at Kew were imperfect, and in 
some cases even consisted of portions of oe different plants, The 
. next contribution received was from Mr. Jonathan C. Olubi, F.R.G.S., 
who forwarded excellent speċimens of the tree d. samples of the rubber, 
accompanying them with the following interesting letter :— 
Mamu Forest Station, Ibadan District, 
Dear Str, Lagos, May 3,1 1895. 
For dnd improvement on, and advice about the rubber 
tree discovered in this forest not quite a year ago by the energy of 
Governor edes I: now send you the following parcels. 
I have seen many foreign rubber trees and vines in the Botanie 
Station at Lagos such as the Kosa rubber, Para rubber and the Ficus 
elastica, but not this particular tree that I am going to describe. It 
was first discovered in Acera about the year 1883 ‘and from its resources 
y E ns and natives have made their fortunes. The vative 
name of this rubber tree is Ire, Ireh, or Ere 
The Ire tree is one of the most beautiful trees in the forest. From 
