AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



ABNORMALITIES IN THE STEM 

 OP HEVEA. 



Burrs. 



. The occurrence of burrs on the trunk of the Para-rubber especially 

 "j trees that have been cut or tapped has frequently been noticed by 

 Pinters, and several letters have been received from time to time 

 2 Editor containing enquiries on the subject. A portion of one 

 IfUer from Mr. BURGESS I append, with some sketches by him. 

 *he burrs are more or less rounded woody knots or tumours 

 pecting from the bark. In small samples they are very easily 

 or ^ u° Ut ° f the trunk and are seen to be more or Iess globular 

 tow i" , ped nodules of wood ending in a short point, directed 

 bark A ! trUnk of the tree ' The y are covered outside with thick 

 cW„ • when knocked out of the tree leave a corresponding 

 S n SS1 ° n \ ^ other cases they are larger and more irregular in 

 erect h u ann0t be detached - The lar £ est 1 have seen is on the 

 SingaD of . a . P rostr ate rubber tree in the Botanic Gardens in 

 measure's • ' S irre S ularl y hemispherical or rafher half oval, and 

 about *?• i incnes across, transversely, a foot long vertically and 

 is this tI V U thickness - The ori S in and cause of these burrs 

 Powth Pa ra-rubber tree like many others, produces during its 

 unle ss fr nUmber of h " d s, which never developing into branches 

 ttomtx, ? m SOme accident become in time covered with a later 

 Z Tdol*' 00 ?' and ar e known as dormant buds. If a tree posses- 

 Ms m 5 nt buds is c nt down to near the base, these dormant 

 fe »ine ,1 .-r l0p and a PP ear ™ sh00ts - As ever y one knows in 



thr ow out k the stum P s of the trees are not du e out > man .y vvi11 



are derived 5 ? ° 0lS Wnicn ma y develop into full-sized stems. These 

 dor mant h. a? 1 tne dorm ant buds. Frequently, too, use is made of 

 10 reprodu t pro P a g ation of P lants which are otherwise difficult 

 Cf ninens \u' s m some of the Araliacece, such as Trevesia 

 ' n order t * ^ m ff equently remains simple without branching. 



make it throw out additional side branches either to 



