i6o 



Ibis instructive specimen is preserved at the Herbarium ol thi 



Botanic Gardens. 



RUBBER PLANTING IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 



In the proceedings of the United Planter's Association of 

 Southern India is an article by Mr. CAMERON, Superintendent of 

 Government Plantations in Mysore, which includes some remarks 

 on Rubber planting in that district. Para rubber seems to be a 

 complete failure owing to the long dry season, which is fatal to it. 

 Ceara however seems to be the best rubber for the district, ft will 

 Hourish from the sea-side to the elevation of at least 4,000 feet. 

 It sheds its seed so abundantlv that thousands of seedlings can be 

 picked up wherever a few trees can be found. Recent tapping 

 experiments showed that trees ranging from 8 to 14 years in age are 

 highly charged with latex and that it flows freely when tapped in 

 the correct season and the proper place. During the dry seasons 

 when the tree is leafless the large root limbs should be tapped, and 

 after the rains the tapping should be transferred to the trunk. 



The experiments proved that no two trees are exactly alike in 

 productiveness of latex. Between the two extremes of a copious 

 discharge and hardly any discharge at all we seem to possess every 

 degree of productiveness. 



It seems to be rather a constitutional feature that some trees 

 contain more laticiferous vessels than others. A mature tree tap- 

 ped twice a week for 3 months gave of coagulated latex (not all 

 pure rubber) a trifle over 3 lbs. and was still being tapped with 

 good results and no diminution. 



Ceara rubber is generally considered inferior to the other cul- 

 tivated rubbers but with improved methods of preparation it may 

 perhaps take a higher place. It seems certainly well worth cul- 

 tivation in dry places, where the other rubbers are unsuitable. 



Ed., 



COTTON NOTES. 



Pests. — Mr. Machado sends from Kamuning a number of bugs 

 which have been playing havoc with the cotton pods. They were 

 of two kinds, the red cotton bug Dysdsrcus cingulatus described in 

 Bulletin Ser. 1, p. 272, and a well known Cotton pest, and not con- 

 fining itself to cotton but living also on the Sidas, and herbaceous 

 Hibisci, common plants of waste ground. 



The other bug is a broad shield shaped insect about half an in ch 

 lung, plain green above and yellowish beneath. It is known as 

 Nezara viridula and seems to occur in most hot parts of the world. 

 It has been accused of damaging potato plants in India and is 

 certainly a most objectionable pest. Judging by tin: number received 

 both oFthese insects must have been very common on the cotton. 



