November, 1912] 



HEVEA SEED. 



When Collins wrote his "Report on the Caoutchouc of Commerce" 

 in 1872, he suggested that Hevea seeds should be sent packed in sugar to 

 ensure thei" germination on arrival. Whether that method was ever 

 adopted has not been recorded. Apparently it was not. The first con- 

 signment of Hevea seed received at Kew was sent in a barrel, and out of 

 2,000 seeds only 12 germinated. 



The first demonstration that Hevea seed could be sent safely through 

 the post, if properly packed, was given by Trimen, who in 1894 recorded 

 that 200 had been sent from Ceylon to Kew in that year, every one of 

 which germinated after being one month in transit. For some years after 

 that, both Ceylon and Singapore favoured Wardian cases of plants, instead 

 of seed, for transmission abroad; but the practice has now settled down 

 to packing in charcoal and forwarding by parcels post, the chief essentials 

 being that the seed should be packed fresh, and in small quantities, not 

 more than about 500 in a tin. 



During the last few years, several instances have been recorded in 

 which the germinative capacity of the seed has been retained for a period 

 which ten years ago would have been thought incredible. The late J. K. 

 Nock, in the Report of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, for 1908, 

 stated that, on August 25fch, 1500 seeds, packed in charcoal and coir dust, 

 slightly damped, in biscuit tins, were forwarded to India, but as the 

 consignee could not be found they were returned to Ceylon on November 

 4th, seventy-two days after despatch. They were immediately sown in an 

 open bed, and 496 plants were raised, the last seed germinating on Dec- 

 ember 20th, or 144 days after gathering ; this number would probably 

 have been exceeded had not the bed been visited by porcupines a week or 

 two after germination had commenced. These seeds therefore gave a 

 germination of 33 per cent, after being packed for 72 days. 



Spring, of the Federated Malay States, has recently recorded a similar 

 occurrence of longer duration. 600 seeds were packed in layers of burnt rice 

 husk, in a box 12 x 8 x 5 inches, which was wrapped up in canvas ready 

 for despatch on January 31st; but as the customer had forgotten to leave 

 his address they could not be forwarded. Oq July 13th, 5 months and 

 13 days afterwards, the tin was opened and left near a window, and 53 seeds 

 germinated. 100 others were then sown in a pan, and three more plants 

 were produced. As the lower layers would not be likely to have much 

 chance of successful germination, the probable percentage germination is 

 much higher than the figures indicate. 



Another instance of prolonged vitality has just been noted at Pera- 

 deniya. On September 25th, 1911, 300 seeds were packed in layers of 

 charcoal and coir dust in a tin which was wrapped in canvas in the usual 

 way. On August 17th, 1912, the tin was opened and the seeds sown in pans, 

 with the result that 117 germinated and produced plants by September 25th, 

 1912. The seeds were planted too thickly in the pans, and with less op- 

 portunity of contact with decaying seeds a few more might have germin- 

 ated. However, as it stands, 39 per cent, germinated after being packed 

 tor nearly eleven months. 



