38 



We refer our readers to Dr. Stevens, rejoinder to Mr. i'hornton, 

 Dr. Stevens, while qualifying his remarks on the relative insignificance 

 of colour, maintains that the irregularity complained of can be ex- 

 pected, except from large estates producing considerable quantities 

 of rubber. He maintains that both in colour and time of vulcanizing 

 certain grades of rubber from estates which we know have a v^^^ide 

 reputation, exhibit great uniformity. 



We have shown the samples of rubber to the head of one of the 

 principal brokers' houses in London, and he expressed surprise that 

 two samples differing so widely in colour should have been sold in the 

 same case. We can only repeat that it will amply repay planters to 

 grade their rubber better than they have done in the past. This point 

 is one which brokers, too, might bear in mind, as we have reason to- 

 believe that more care might be bestowed by them in the offering of 

 rubber of variable colour in the same lot. In the past brokers have 

 sometimes been able to obtain small premiums for a difference In 

 colour, and in such cases every care has been taken to keep the 

 colour-grades separate; now, and in the future, when premiums for 

 novelties in colour and thickness cannot be obtained, there may be a 

 tendency to offer lots of a mixed character — a course which i?- obvi- 

 ously likely to do considerable harm to the industry. 



(India rubber Journal January /th. 1911.) 



GERMINATION OF RUBBER SEED IN BRITISH 



GUIANA. 



By Prof. J. B. Harrison, c.m.g., m.a., and F. A. Stockdale 



B.A., F.L.S. 



{Reprinted from the Journal of the Board of Agrieidture, British 

 Guiana.) Vol IV., No. 2. 



" Hevea braziliensis is not known to occur in the forests of the 

 colony, and as there are but very few trees of sufficient age under 

 cultivation to produce seeds our supply of plants must, for some 

 years, be olnained from abroad. It is impossible to obtain seeds, the 

 germination of which can be relied upon from Brazil, and therefore 

 we have to obtain forithe present our supplies from the Easi. Duriftg 

 the last 'four years 172,957 seeds have been obtained by the Depart- 

 ment of Science and Agriculture from the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, 

 from which 134,419 plants have been raised and sold to different pur- 

 chasers lin the colony. Various private aitempts have been made 

 with shipments of seeds and stumps from CeyUm, the Straits Settle- 

 ments and the Federated Malay States, with, so liir, but slight success. 



