November, 1912.] 



375 



constant, and the figures now available show that there is not that differ- 

 ence between the Hevea seed of different countries which was once 

 supposed to exist. At Peradeniya, fresh seeds weigh on the average about 

 3 75 grams : but one tree has this year produced seed which averages 7"1 

 grams. Further, a tree on a neighbouring estate, planted in tea, has 

 borne seed which averages only 2 75 grams ; and the smallest weight 

 recorded for an individual seed (fresh), in Ceylon, is 12 grams. Vernet, 

 in 1908, recorded that Hevea seed in Annam varied from 1-02 to 9*55 

 grams each, and he somewhat astonished other countries by stating 

 that seeds weighing less than 5 grams each should not be used for plant- 

 ing ; but be has siuce withdrawn that recommendation because he found 

 it impossible to obtain any large number of seeds of the desired weight. 



It is sometimes stated that in Ceylon two crops of seed are obtained 

 in the course of the year. In a certain sense, that is correct, but the 

 deduction frequently made by writers in other countries, that the same 

 trees fruit twice in the year, is not. On the Western side of the island 

 where rain falls normally during both monsoons, the trees flower in 

 February-March, and bear seed in July-September. But on the Eastern 

 srde, where rain falls only during the North-East Monsoon, October- 

 January, the trees fruit in December- February. The fruiting period of 

 Hevea, and practically all fruit trees, e.g., mango, differs by six months on 

 the two sides of the Island. But each tree only bears fruit once. An 

 interesting case was observed this year on an estate which, though sub- 

 ject only to the North-East rains, lies at the foot of the range of hills 

 which divides the two regions. In March last, seed was falling from the 

 trees on the slopes, i.e., their phase was the normal one for that side of the 

 Island. But in one fieldj where a small stream ran at the foot of the slope, 

 the trees on the slope were seeding while those along the stream were 

 shedding their leaves, i. e_., the latter were in the sama physiological 

 condition as the trees on the western side of the Island. There was thus 

 six months difference between trees not more than a hundi ed yards apart. 

 Similar phenomena have been recorded for Singapore, where, apparently, 

 some trees may be found in fruit at any time of the year. Whether any 

 tree fruits twice in the course of the year at Singapore has not been 

 recorded, nor have the differences between the various trees been correl- 

 ated with their environment. 



T. P. 



CHEAP SEED. 



The following table by Mr. W, Borlase printed in the Journal of the 

 Board of Agriculture for October, It) 12, will be read with interest :— 



Percentage of 



s, d. germination. 



Perennial Red Clover at 1 per lb. ... 97-1 



do do ,, 10 „ ... 78-6 



do do .,0 9,, ... 60-3 



Alsike Clover „ 1 ... 98'1 



do do „ 10A „ ... 53-1 



White Clover ,.11 „ ... 98-5 



do do „ 11$ ,. ... 82-8 



