2 4 4 



15 by 15 feet among cocoa trees at an altitude of 1,100 feet above 

 the sea. The aspect is favourable and the distribution of rain is 

 more even than on the low lying lands which have the same aspect. 

 Some of the trees are being tapped and the result of yield and qua- 

 lity of the rubber will be looked forward to with interest. Other 

 companies under able management have commenced operations here 

 notably the Berlin Caoutchouc Company at Saluafata near Talefa 

 with an area of 6,000 to 7,000 acres. Their first clearing of 500 

 acres is now ready for planting out and they have about 1,000,000 

 young Hevea plants growing in the nuseries. The situation of this 

 estate is ideal. A gradual ascent from the sea with a maximum 

 height of say, 600 feet above it. The rainfall is evenly distributed 

 throughout the year. The soil is splendid containing sufficient clayey 

 mixture to retain moisture in the event of prolonged dry weather. 

 The whole is almost encircled by a high range of mountains 1,500 

 to 2,000 feet in height. 



Further notes on the rubber cultivation here are printed in Tro- 

 pical Life, June 1906. The cultivation started in 1900 with 1,000 

 seed sent by post in slightly moistened charcoal packed in tins, of 

 "which about 40 per cent, germinated. Chinese coolies are being 

 used. They contract for three years and a cash deposit of £j 10s. 

 for each coolie ordered is required. The average amount paid to 

 the labourer inclusive of fare each way is 50 marks a month. 

 This seems a very high rate of wages. Samples of the rubber sent 

 to Messrs. FIGGIS & Co. were reported by them to be sticky, soft 

 and immature, probably due to the rubber being sent before it 

 was properly dry. 



H. N. R. 



RUBBER IN UGANDA. 



In the report of the Forestry and Scientific Department of 

 Uganda by Mr. Brown, it is stated that the Para rubber trees have 

 made satisfactory growth during the year. The largest tree is 44 

 years' old, and 27 feet 6 inches tall with a girth of 12^ inches at 



4 feet from the ground. Trees 2\ years old are 17 feet tall and 



5 inches in girth at 4 feet from the ground. (Measurements are 

 usually taken at 3 feet from the ground, and should be so as it is 

 not easy to compare growths if the measurements are taken at 

 different heights). There are it seems about 5,000 Para plants in 

 the country. 



Castilloa has been killed by a boring longicorn beetle in the same 

 way as it is killed out here, but by a different species from ours. 



Funtumia elastica which is wild here was propagated and sam- 

 ples of rubber sent to Hecht LEVIS and Kahn for report. The 

 best were those coagulated with heat and citric or acetic acid and 

 valued at 4/6^. per lb., without acids the rubber proved to be imper- 

 fectly coagulated and valued at 3/2*/. to 3/6<^. per lb. 



This rubber does not seem a very inviting cultivation. 



