23 



on as "good clean Java character" and valued at 3.?. 6d. per lb., 

 but sold for 3$. lod. 



i he largest tree at Kuala Kangsar is about 90 feet high, mea- 

 sures 88 feet at 3 feet from the ground, measuring round all the 

 aerial roots, the branches extend to 36 paces, and the largest leaves 

 are 1 3* x 7", its age, 19 years. The growth of this tree has been 

 remarkable during the last three years, from the time its aerial 

 roots reached the ground. 



Ficus clastica is an indigenous tree, found in Upper Perak. It 

 is naturally an epiplytc, and its growth would be no doubt assisted 

 if planted at the bases of felled trees. Its growth is slow at first 

 but rapid when well established. Considering the enormous di- 

 mensions this tree attains, 10 to the acre would be close enough 

 planting, and as perhaps 8 years would have to elapse before the 

 tree could be profitably tapped the intervening spaces could be 

 utilized by some other crop, even Hevea, which would be beneficial 

 to the growth of the Ficus > 



Tapping. 



As the latex of Ficus elastica coagulates on the tree it is best to 

 tap on dry days onlv- From single incisions, about 4 inches long, 

 and rather more apart, the latex slowly exudes, and in 2 or 3 days 

 afterwards can be collected. At times the latex runs more freely 

 and then some drops to the ground, this can be collected on plan- 

 tain leaves, but the quality is not so good as that which coagulates 

 on the tree. At Kuala Kangsar, seeds ripen about October, the 

 fruiting season being between July and October, and I should not 

 think these the months for tapping. I consider December, Jan- 

 uary, and the following months best. 



Yield. 



I have not any information as to the age when Ficus elastica 

 could be profitably tapped. At Kuala Kangsar there are two trees 

 12 years old, and two 19 years old, from the latter 25 lbs. of rub- 

 ber has been obtained from each tree, and the tapping was far 

 short of being exhaustive. The result of the other trees has not 

 yet been ascertained, but I expect good results. 



Getah Singret ( Willughiina firma). A small sample was sent 

 to London with the Para parcel, and reported on as " good strong 

 Borneo character," valued and sold at 2s. 6d. per lb. This is the 

 best of the indigenous creepers, but I doubt very much if it ordin- 

 arily reaches the European market in a pure state, being usually 

 used to adulterate getah percha. 



Getah Taban Sutra (Dichopsis gutta var). There is one ex- 

 ample of this tree in the Kuala Kangsar garden which is said to be 

 17 years old, and fruited for the first time in November, 1900. A 

 few herbarium specimens were obtained, all the other fruits being 

 carried off by squirrels before being ripe. The height of this tree 

 is 25 feet, and girth 2 feet at 3 feet from the ground, a jungle tree 

 growing under heavy canopy would of course be much higher, 

 with less branching habit, and smaller girth. 



