C.  Another  row  similarly  placed  but  only  5 to  7 feet  apart, 
gives-3'  I"  ; 3'  5"  ; 2'  3"  ; 4'  6"  ; 4'  6"  ; 2'  6"  ; 4'  10"  ; 3' s" ; 3'  7"  i 
3'  6"  j 2'  10" ; 2'f ; 3'  o" ; 4'  o" ; 2'  7" ; 3'  5." ; 3'  S" ; 2'  8" ; 4'  4". 
This  planting  is  unusually  close  but  it  will  be  noticed  that  the 
trees  are  not  very  far  behind  those  planted  more  distantly. 
The  averages  are  as  follows — 
A.  3'  II"  B.  3' 8"  C.  3'5" 
The  biggest  tree  of  about  the  same  age  in  the  plantation,  on  the 
edge  of  a large  group  measures  5 feet  8 inches  in  circumference 
at  5 feet  from  the  ground. 
The  soil  in  which  these  trees  are  growing  is  an  alluvial  soil,  rich 
in  humus,  and  very  damp.  It  seems  to  have  been  formerly  a tidal 
river,  of  some  size,  as  fruits  of  the  Nipa  palm,  are  found  in  the  soil 
and  the  tidal  river  fern,  Acrostichti m aure:nn  still  grows  there. 
The  water  in  many  parts  is  on  ordinary  weather  about  6 inches 
under  ground,  and  in  very  wet  weather  is  flooded.  The  defect  of 
this  is  that  the  tap  root  of  the  tree  disappears  with  growth,  and 
large  masses  of  high  roots  close  to  the  surface  are  developed.  This 
gives  the  tree  a less  firm  hold  in  the  soft  soil,  and  in  rough  weather 
trees  are  not  rarely  blown  down. 
Trees  were  also  planted  in  the  dryer  parts  of  the  Garden  for  ex- 
periment, but  in  most  cases  the  stiff  rocky  clay  did  not  permit  the 
trees  to  produce  enough  roots  and  the  trees  made  little  growth. 
Some  however  planted  some  years  ago  in  a wooded  hill  in  the 
gardens  though  of  stiff  clay  with  a small  amount  of  humus,  have 
made  grand  growth. 
The  ideal  soil  for  Para  rubber  is  I think  the  low  alluvial  flats  full 
of  well  decayed  vegetable  debris,  and  sufficiently  good  drainage  to 
prevent  the  soil  being  sodden. 
THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  INTRODUCTION  OF 
PARA  RUBBER  INTO  THE 
MALAY  PENINSULA. 
As  there  has  been  a good  deal  of  confusion  as  to  the  history  of 
the  introduction  of  the  plant  into  the  East.  The  following  history 
may  be  of  some  interest.  In  a letter  dated  April  17th,  1878,  from 
Sir  William  Thiselton  Dyer,  then  Secretary  to  Sir  Joseph 
Hooker  at  Kew  Gardens,  he  writes  “On  4th  June,  1893,  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  Markham  some  hundreds  of  seeds,  obtained  from 
Mr.  Jas.  Collins,  of  these  seeds  less  than  a dozen  germinated  and 
six  of  the  plants  so  obtained  were  taken  by  Dr.  King,  Superinten- 
dent of  the  Botanic  Gardens,  Calcutta,  in  the  same  year  to  India. 
The  climate  of  Calcutta  did  not  prove  very  favourable  to  the 
Heveas  which  require  the  conditions  of  growth  met  with  in  hot  and 
moist  tropical  forests.  It  was  therefore  decided  on  consultation 
with  Mr.  Markham  that  in  the  event  of  more  Heveas  being  raised 
and  sent  out  from  Kew  they  should  be  received  at  the  Botanic 
Gardens  Ce)don  whic'h  should  then  be  regarded  as  the  depot  for 
