37 



RUBBER. 



The following letter has been communicated by the Seorttarj of 

 :State for the Colonies : — 



The Director of Royal Gardens^ Kew, to Colonial Offic$. 



Eoyal Gardens, Kew, December 20th, 1897. 



Sim, 



I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letttr of No- 

 vember 30th, enclosing for observations Ceylon Sessional Paper XXIII 

 of 1897 on the cultivation of Kubber-producing trees. 



2. It appears from this that a number approaching a quarter of a 

 million rubber-trees of various ages are under cultivation on private 

 estates in Ceylon. This represents an area of about 750 acres. In 

 addition 85 acres have been planted by the Conservator of Forests. 



3. Data are still wanting as to whether the enterprise will be suffi- 

 ciently profitable. Rubber-planting appears to require from 8 to 11 

 years before it yields any return. It is therefore obviously unsuited 

 to small proprietors. On the other hand, if it pays at all, it may well 

 receive some attention on large estates and at the hands of a (xovern- 

 ment Forest Department. 



4. The actual amount of land in most of our tropical Colonies suit- 

 able for Para Rubber is probably not large. As suggested in my let- 

 ter of September 6th it is likely to be most successful in the Straits 

 Settlement. Through the instrumentality of Kew the Para Rubber 

 tree was introduced into Perak. Sir Hugh Low reported in 1879 : — 



They take to the country immensely." It is understood that these 

 trees hav« been successfully tapped. It would be extremely useful to 

 have an official report upon the present result of Sir Hugh Low's ex- 

 periment. 



5. Dr. Morris is of opinion that in the West Indies " where banana 

 cultivation can be carried on rubber trees might afford a useful subsi- 

 diary crop." It has been estimated that trees planted 10 feet apart at 

 1 1 years would yield 6 oz. of rubber. This would give a gross return 

 of £22 10s. Od. per acre. For this purpose Castilloa would be per- 

 haps more suitable than the Para Rubber tree.* 



I am, Ac, 



W. T. Thistlbton-Dter. 



C P. Lucas, Esq., 



Colonial Office, Downing Street, S.W. 



NOTE ON CEARA RUBBER. 



By S. T. SCHARSCHMIDT, A.M.I.C.E. 



In the Bulletin for October and November, 1897, I observe the arti- 

 .cle on " Ceara Rubber." In May, 1887, I put in 6 plants which I got 

 from your Department at Hanbury ; the largest is now 25 feet high 

 and 10 inches girth at 4 feet from the ground.- It is only this year, 

 and in this month December, that I find the rubber begins to assume 



* For information on Rubber, consult Bulletin 1894 (page 99), 1895 (page 31), 

 1897 (pages 80, 242). 



