356 



It will be noted that not only is the average weight per lOOO seeds 

 distincth* higher from the untapped trees, but that only one weigh- 

 ing- of seeds from tapped trees gave a higher total than the lowest 

 weighing of the untapped trees. The seeds were collected fresh every 

 morning and weighed ininiediateh*. The difference is 0.9 lb. per 1000 

 seeds or 10.7 per cent, not quite so great as the Ceylon figures. That 

 this difference is entirely due to the extra weight of the kernels, the 

 husks remaining nearl}^ constant, is shown b}- the following te?t : — 



No. of seeds. Wt. of kernels. \Vt. of shells. Total- 

 Tapped Trees 2000 lO lbs. 1 1 ozs. 6 lbs. 4H ozs. t6 lbs. 15^4 ozs. 

 Untapped ., 2000 12 .. 1^2 ^ 6 „ 4^ „ 18 lbs. 6H ozs. 



It will be interesting to see what the difference in germination 

 between the two sets of seeds will be, after different periods of 

 storage. A series of experiments is in progress to test this point and 

 will be reported on later, when complete. 



Kuala Lumpur, L. Lewton-Brain', 



13th October, 191 1. Director of Agriculture, 



F.M.S. 



RUBBER IN JAMAICA. 



The Agricultural experts of Jamaica, to judge by tne Annual 

 Report of the Department of Agriculture in Jamaica, for 1910 just 

 received, have not yet given up hopes of starting a rubber industry 

 in the island, as \-et. Of Para rubber it is reported that some of the 

 trees planted five 3'ear5 ago are now beginning to thicken and some 

 fairly go3d trees are to be found in favourable localities, Castilloa, 

 however, seems more promising. The results of tapping the Castilioa 

 trees in various parts of the island during the past year have been 

 on the whole encouraging and in some cases remarkably good yields 

 Gf rubber have been obtained. "I have estimated" sa\-s the 

 Director of Agriculture " the cost of 100 acres of Castilioa Rubber 

 up to the tapping age at ten years as £2,500 to £3.000 with rubber 

 selling at 2 6 per lb , the profits should then be £300 to £700 per 

 annum under favourable conditions of yield on the lOO acres, with a 

 tendency to rise under good management to £1,200 per annum at the 

 20th year where suitable lands of proved capacity for the cultivation 

 of Castilioa rubber are available. It would appear that the financial 

 prospects of a rubber plantation are fairly safe, and though we 

 alread\* possess other staples such as bananas, cocoa and coconuts 

 that offer greater inducements, there appear to be stretches of secopd 

 ^rade rubber lands in Poriland and elsewhere that offer sound in- 



