3'3 



this report, these trees had been much neglected, and I think it is 

 fairly safe to prophesy a return equal to this from European 

 estates, where the trees receive every attention in from five to six 

 years from the time of planting. 



14. The experiments instituted at S'tiawan will be carried on Experiments 

 from time to time, and samples of rubber prepared by various *°£e conti- 

 methods will be sent to England for valuation and the results 

 reported to you in full. In the meantime, too much stress should 

 not be laid on these, the results of a single experiment. 



I have, etc., 



STANLEY ARDEN, 

 Supt, y Experimental Plantations. 



The Secretary to the 



Resident-General, F. M. S. 



NOTES. 



Seeds of Castilloa. 



To the Editor, 



Agricultural Bulletin of the Straits and F. M. S. 

 Dear Sir, 



As great interest has been taken in the cultivation of the differr 

 ent varieties of rubber producing trees. It may interest you- 

 readers to know that the vitality of the seeds of "Castilloa Elastica" 

 is not so fugitive, as they' may have been led to believe by various 

 reports. Last year I imported a few thousand of these seeds from 

 Mexico, 260 of which I forwarded to Samoa, and I have received 

 a letter to say that 197 have developed into healthy seedlings. The 

 total number of days that these seeds were en route was as 

 follows : — - 



Mexico to Burma ... 99 days. 

 Burma to Samoa ... 77 „ 



Total ... 176 „ 

 So if due care is taken with the packing of these seeds, they 

 carry well. 



Yours faithfully, 



W. S. TODD, 



Amherst, 

 Lower Burma. 



A SUBSTITUTE FOR CORK. 



For some time it has been realized that the supply of Cork, the 

 bark of the Cork -oak (Qucrcus ilex) is not at all equal to the de- 

 mand, and a good substitute is badly required. It is I fear hardly 



