Agricultural bulletin 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



No. 9.] SEPTEMBER, 1904. [Vol. III. 



EXPERIMENTAL TAPPING OF PARA RUBBER 

 TREES AT THE BOTANIC GARDENS, 

 SINGAPORE. 



An account of the history of the Para Rubber trees growing in 

 the Singapore Gardens will be found in Bulletin, January 1903, p. 2 

 (Vol. II No. 1) and the following brief notes and results on the work 

 now being carried on may be of interest as shewing the nature and 

 progress of the experiments. 



It is intended to experiment on about 1,280 seedling trees, which 

 were planted in 1886, 1887 and 1888 on very swampy land. The 

 outside rows were planted first, and are much the finest trees aver- 

 aging 4^ feet against 2\ girth (at 3 feet from the ground) for the 

 inside trees. The distance of the inside trees, however, has not been 

 uniform and in some clumps is only 6 feet apart, and in none more 

 than 1 5 feet — excepting vacancies not supplied. 



So far as the experiments have gone the comparative yield by 

 different methods of tapping has been attempted only, and from 

 our own experiments, we expect to find the best one for giving the 

 best results. Of the methods tried the single incision differs from 

 all others in respect of flow of latex, i.e. with single incisions started, 

 say, 6 feet from the ground, the flow of latex increases with each 

 tapping as the tappings approach to the base of the tree, and the 

 latter tappings may be as good, if not the best of all. The result 

 however, has not been generally satisfactory. 



With the herring-bone incisions, and its modifications, as is well 

 known, the flow of latex increases from a little to a maximum 

 yield and then gradually decreases. But the yield of trees varies 

 from scanty to copious, and whichever method is adopted the tap- 

 ping is affected by rain and excessive moisture. There is also a 

 difference in the composition of latex from trees of different sizes, 

 e.g. the same quantity of latex gives a much thicker biscuit of 

 prepared Rubber from a big tree than a small one, irrespective 

 of age. Very probably a big tree is capable of transpiring exces- 

 sive moisture quicker. 



