436 



Experiment 2/07 C. — Seeds sown in nursery, October, 

 1907. Planted out in April, 1908. Average height, 5 feet 

 9 inches; average girth, lyf inches. 



Experiment 2/07 D. — Seeds sown in nursery, October, 

 1907. Planted out in November, 1908. Not measured. 

 Stumps cut down to 18 inches. 



Experiment 3/07. — Close planting. This plot shows 

 very fine progress as a whole. The plants have not yet- 

 become crowded enough to have any bad effect on their 

 growth. A large number of the plants have shot ahead of 

 their neighbours, but whether they will maintain this lead, 

 and kill out the weaker plants, remains to be seen. The 

 average height is 10 feet (H inches; average girth, 2 T \ 

 inches. 



Purple Manicoba Rubber (Manihot sp.). — The plot of 

 this plant, put out in November, 1907, has made good 

 growth during the year. 



The plants have now grown into strong bushes, averag- 

 ing 12 feet 2 J inches in height, the stem measuring 5f inches 

 at 3 feet from the ground. 



Jiquie Rubber (Manihot dichotoma). — Seeds of this 

 rubber, recently discovered in Brazil, were received from 

 the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in October, and sown both 

 at stake (1J acres) and in nursery beds. 



The seeds germinated freely and the plants appear to 

 be very similar to the Purple Manicoba rubber received last 

 year. 



Romanso Rubber (Manihot piauhyensis). — Seeds of 

 this species, also from Brazil, and discovered at the same 

 time as the above, were received from the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens, Kew. They were sown under conditions similar 

 to the "Jiquie" variety, but many of the seed failed to 

 germinate. I have, however, got about 50 plants which 

 will be put out in this year. 



The young seedlings of this rubber are thicker and 

 more sappy in appearance than those of M. dichotoma. 



These new Manicoba rubbers belonging to the same 

 family as the Ceara rubber (Manihot Glaziovii) but are said 

 to be much superior to the latter species in every way. 

 They grow naturally in drier and less fertile land than the 

 Para rubber (Hevea braziliensis). 



Rambong (Ficns elastica): — The two acres of this rub- 

 ber put out in 1907 are now well established and the plants 

 have begun to grow freely, about a dozen vacancies were 

 supplied, 



