192 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



Glendon, — Three months to December 31 : 

 Rubber, 9,400 lb. ; increase, 3,180 lb. ; tea 

 40,262 lb. ; decrease, 330 lb. 



Golconda Malay. — Dry rubber season 1909 

 to end of month of December, 95,443 lb. ; in- 

 crease 60,341 lb. Month of December, 15,028 lb. ; 

 increase, 9,576 lb. 



General Ceylon.— For 1909, 38,370 lb. rub- 

 ber, against an estimate of 28,500 lb. aud a crop 

 secured last year of 26,283 lb. The tea crop for 

 the year is 3,051,000 lb., against 3,050,266 lb. 

 last year. 



Ceylon Tea Plantations. — The total amount 

 of tea produced in the company's factories for 

 the year 1909 was 5,515,000 lb., compared with 

 5,073,000 in 1908, and of rubber 54,000 lb., against 

 25,700 Ib.—H. A C. Mail, Jan. 7. 



RUBBER IN THE F. M. S, 



And Peat-Soil. 

 We recently received from Pontianak two 

 samples of a peaty soil in which rubber had 

 been planted. The planter reported that the 

 trees at 2£ years averaged 5\59 inches in circum- 

 ference at 3 feet from the ground, which is de- 

 cidedly small, but the trees were healthy though 

 under-sized, and a good many seedlings had 

 died. The soil sent consisted exclusively of 

 decayed wood and leaves ; not a particle of sand 

 or stone was visible. I asked Mr. Dent, the 

 Government Analyst, to examine the samples 

 with a view of finding out what amount of 

 mineral matter there was in this class of soil, 

 which resembled exactly that obtained from 

 Johore, and described in previous accounts of 

 the peat-soils. Of the two samples A. was taken 

 from the top of the ground to about 8 inches 

 depth, and B. about three feet down. The owner 

 of the land states that the soil seems to be 

 similar to this for 15 to 20 feet depth, and that 

 the whole soil on exposure has sunk a good deal. 

 In appearance, the two samples were much the 

 same except that the top soil was wetter, and the 

 fragments of wood less decomposed, as might be 

 expected. Mr Dent gave the following report :— 



Ash : feom Dky 

 Moisture Ash Sample. 

 A 76-60 per ct. "33 perct. l-43perct. 

 B 56-90 do -94 do 218 do 



This ash apparently consisted of the potash, a 

 trace of iron, etc., derived from the decayed 

 wood. There was, in fact, absolutely no mineral 

 matter derived from the soil at all in the earth. 

 To compare this with the soil richest in humus, 

 decayed leaves and sticks in the Botanic Gar- 

 dens, Singapore, where Para rubber is grown 

 successfully, it may be pointed out that this soil 

 contains upwards of 60 per cent of mineral 

 matter, while other soils on which Para rubber 

 grows well had up to 70 per cent and more of 

 mineral matter. The increase of ash in the lower 

 sample is doubtless due to the greater loss of 

 organic matter in the course of decomposition, 

 giving a higher proportionate return. 



The amount of water retained in these soils is 

 rather striking. 



In the soils analysed from the Botanic Gar- 

 dens (Bulletin VII 581) free water amounted to 

 7'400 per cent, in the wettest to2'000 per cent in 

 the driest. These soils were sent for analysis to 

 Ceylon and one may allow perhaps a little loss 

 from evaporation on the way. The Borneo soils, 

 however, were kept some days after their arrival 

 here from Borneo, and perhaps were propor- 

 tionally wetter, still the differencein the amount 

 of water retained in the lowest, which is the 

 driest, amounted to 56*90. Warington writes : 

 " Of all soils peat has the greatest capacity for 

 retaining water, its porosity supplying an 

 enormous internal surface, the effect of which is 

 heightened by the affinity for water of its colloid 

 constituents." Of course the peat he is refer- 

 ring to is not what we call peat in this country, 

 it is rather more compact, the stems of the mos- 

 ses, the heather roots, etc., being finer than the 

 wood fragments of the so-called peat soils here, 

 but, generally speaking, the result appears to 

 be the same, and as decomposition has gone on 

 to a considerable extent as it had in sample B, 

 and the vegetable remains were quite broken up 

 and powdery, there would be little difference 

 between the two. The excess of water in the 

 soil, if the water was saturated with humid acid 

 would not be advantageous to the growth of 

 Para rubber, as explained in previous papers. — 

 Ed. — Straits Agricultural Bulletin, January. 



CEARA RUBBER IN OOORG. 



I saw a good deal of Ceara Rubber,and was fa- 

 vourably impressed with its appearance. It must 

 be remembered that this, like other crops, will 

 respond to good soil, and good cultivation. Pre- 

 liminary experiments made in a rough way with- 

 out any special apparatus are yielding samples 

 of rubber which are valued at top prices, so that 

 the industry seems to be a promising one. The 

 trees grow readily: if not so rapidly as in some 

 other districts, still rapidly enough for practical 

 purposes. It is possible that some trouble may 

 be experienced with the tapping, but it should 

 be possible to overcome this by the adoption of 

 a system of vertical tapping, and the use of 

 dripping tins containing Ammonia to induce a 

 longer flow of latex. In a plantation of Ceara 

 trees a large number of varieties will be found, 

 and yield of rubber and latex will vary much 

 from tree to tree. New clearings should be 

 planted up from cuttings taken from a tree 

 which has been found by experiment to give a 

 good yield, since seed will not come true. I saw 

 no season to suppose that this industry will 

 prove anything but satisfactory in the district. 

 — Rudolph D Anstead, Planting Expert. 7-1- 

 1910.— Planters' Chronicle, Jan. 22. 



LABUAN RUBBE R LAND. 



Labuan, Nov. 25. — Planters and others interes- 

 ted in rubber should certainly see Brunei before 

 going elsewhere where land is clear and labour 

 scarce. The terms offered by the Brunei Govern- 

 ment to bora fide applicants are most advan- 

 tageous, and excellent land is to be found. The 

 Labu (Bruuoi) Co. have made a good start, a large 

 area has been cleared and some 30 acres have 

 already been planted. All this has been done 

 with local labour. — StraitsTimes. 



