135 



were thriving and doing well, but the growth was not as rapid as 

 under other circumstances. Perhaps some of our readers have seen 

 and can give information about other estates where this system 

 has been tried. Mr. Dunman promises to send an account of an 

 estate in which the tapioca is being made to pay the expenses of 

 the estate while the rubber is growing. In Bukit Asahan good 

 results are, it is stated, being obtained, and there may be others. 



In the first estate to which I have referred, the tapioca had been 

 allowed to grow too close to the rubber and its rapid growth had 

 smothered many of the young plants. There is no necessity for 

 this. It is easy to keep the ground clear round the young trees 

 so that they can get as much light as they require. There is a risk 

 too of injury to the roots of the rubber caused by digging up the 

 Tapioca. Mr. Turner, however, I understand has seen no evil 

 results from this risk. Finally it must be remembered that Tapioca 

 is perhaps the nearest relation to Para rubber we have in cultiva- 

 tion here, and there is a possibility of a pest fungus or insect, 

 accustomed to pfey upon the Tapioca which might transfer its 

 attentions to the rubber plants. However, the Tapioca cultivation 

 is not intended to last for more than a few years, and it is probable 

 that owing to the shortness of time it is on the ground such an 

 accident could be avoided. 



The subject is one of the greatest importance. A good catch- 

 crop for rubber is badly wanted, the supply of tapioca has fallen off 

 and there are complaints from England, as to its insufficiency. If 

 it is possible to combine the two cultivations the results would be of 

 the greatest value. We want, however, more information on the 

 subject. 



H. N R. 



CEARA RUBBER. 



By J. C. Campbell. 



In the February number of the Agricultural Bulletin, Mr. STRICK- 

 LAND makes some enquiries re Ceara Rubber, Manihot Gla- 

 ziovii, and in paragraph five of his letter asks " Do you think that 

 tapping 'Ceara' must necessarily kill the tree? and do you know 

 of, or have you heard of cases where 'Ceara' trees have been 

 tapped without damage?" In the latter part of last year I tapped 

 about 60 trees of "Ceara" at Kuala Kangsa and Batu Gajah, the 

 yield per tree was about 1^ lbs. The average girth of the trees 36 in- 

 ches. The method of tapping employed was herring bone, each tree 

 was tapped fifteen times, the work being done on alternate days. 

 The trees it will be seen were not heavily tapped, but the yield 

 was fair for the girth. 



The trees are now all quite healthy and the tapping scars all 

 healed up, neither during or after tapping operations did the trees 

 show any bad effects. 



