253 



AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



No. 7.] JULY, 1908. [Vol. VII. 



BIG RUBBER TREES IN THE BOTANIC 

 GARDENS. 



Plate I. 

 By H. N. Kidley. 



In the year 1894, the forest inspector J. Goodenough planted some 

 rubber seedlings in a wood behind his house in the Botanic Gardens. 

 This wood is on the slope of a hill running down to the main road 

 and rather steep. It had been planted up by Mr. Cantley about 

 1884 with Albizzia moluccana, Eugenia grandis and pseudosubtilis 

 and other trees and had additions in the form of various trees of the 

 character of Belukar jungle. The wood was very thick as there was a 

 good deal of under-growth too. The soil is a stiff clay. The rubber 

 trees were quite forgotten for about ten years, and when found were 

 crowded up with other trees, but had made surprisingly rapid growth. 

 Three were on the top of the hill where it was a little flatter and at a 

 distance of 8 feet, and 18 feet respectively apart. The tallest No. 1277 

 was measured a few days ago. It had grown considerably higher than 

 the surrounding trees and was conspicuous from afar. Its height was found 

 to be no less than a hundred feet, while in girth at three feet from the 

 ground it measured 72 inches. The stem is smooth and straight with- 

 out a branch for a considerable height. The other two were less tall, one 

 having lost a portion of the top (No. 1276). It measured, at three feet 

 from the ground 60 inches. The third gave a measurement of 79 

 inches. 



On the slope the trees lessen in girth in proportion to the steep- 

 ness of the hill, the slopes of which show signs of a strong rush of 

 water during rains. The whole wood is full of seedlings from these 

 trees, although for some years past it has been the custom for the 

 seed collectors to gather up the fallen seeds. 



The usual height given for a full grown para rubber tree is 70 

 feet, and the tall tree (No. 1277) is certainly the record in height, 

 and yet it is but fourteen years of age. This is a most instructive 



