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sealed up tin-lined case. The plants were quite dry ere being put in, 

 and even the packets were taken hot from the fire. On arrival when the 

 case was opened, they were found to be quite wet and nearly spoiled. 

 This was evidently due to the condensation of the water enclosed in 

 the damp air of the tropics due to the arrival of the case in a cold 

 climate with the consequent lowering of temperature. Packed in 

 wooden cases which seemed to absorb the moisture to a large extent 

 no such damping effects were found. The packing, charcoal, rice dust 

 etc., acts probably in the same way in the case of rubber seed packing. 



The article continues giving an account of the germination of the 

 seed, and illustrating the bad effects of wrong planting with figures of 

 curvature of the radicle even into a complete circle. The causes of 

 these malformation are putting the seed down wrong way up, so that 

 the root has to make a curve to reach the soil, and too hard soil 

 at the point at which the rootlet attempts to enter the ground. 

 Most planters realise perhaps that the correct placing of the seed 

 in the first instance is of the utmost importance to avoid this root cur- 

 vature, which if overlooked may cause a permanent curve in the tap- 

 root. A tree of any kind in which this occurs will grow for a consider- 

 able time but its growth usually after a few years is checked and the 

 tree remains stunted for a few years more when it dies. This is most 

 commonly seen in plants grown too long in pots, where the tap-root 

 confined in a short space bends on itself. But I have seen fine young 

 Para rubber plants taken from the nursery in which the tap-rcot had 

 curved into a thickened club like bend, undoubtedly from the careless- 

 ness of the cooly who had put down the seed. The trees about 7 feet 

 tall were otherwise healthy and good looking but were really useless and 

 only fit for the rubbish heap. 



Nothing of course can be done when the bend is as usual in these 

 cases close to the base of the stem, especially after the root has hard- 

 ened and become woody. 



The second cause cited by M. Vernet that of the root's being 

 protruded at a point where the soil is too hard, and it cannot penetrate 

 is also due to carelessness in planting, for the seed beds should be dug 

 over to such an extent that there is no hard ground or stones to turn 

 the root tip from a good straight descent. 



Vernet suggests that when the soil is clayey the ground over 

 the seeds should be covered with a layer of lalang grass to prevent it 

 from being baked by the sun. It is really better to shade in the 

 ordinary way with attaps in this case as snails, crickets and other 

 objectionable insects find this straw shading very suitable as resting 

 places during the heat of the day, and are apt to attack the seedlings 

 as they grow. 



The business-like planter is usually careful about his seed beds 

 and such suggestions are perhaps not necessary for him, but there are 

 would-be planters who never seem to think it is necessary to take any 

 trouble about seed planting because Para rubber seed germinates and 

 grows so readily. I have seen more than one nursery in which the 

 seeds were thrown anyhow on to a hot bed of sand in full sun, with no 

 shade and no turning over of the soil, with the natural result of a com- 

 plete failure. jj N. R t 



