December, 1910.J 



501 



FIBRES- 



GROWING KAPOK* IN JAVA. 



(From the Philippine Agricultural 

 Revietv, Vol. III., No. 2, February, 1910.) 



Soil and Climate. 

 Kapok comes principally from Java, 

 and the Javanese product is generally 

 considered as the standard. In business 

 kapok is understood to be the cotton 

 around the seed of the kapok tree 

 (Eriodendron anfractuosum D.C.). This 

 tree grows from sea level up to an 

 altitude of 2,000 feet and even more, but 

 principally in low-lying ground, say 

 below 800 ft, above sea level, where the 

 best kapok is produced. Although in 

 higher altitudes the tree gives a certain 

 amount of fruit, the quantity is smaller 

 and the fruit comes later in the year. 

 The product is also of inferior quality 

 because the fruit often is unripe when 

 the rains begin, so that it either does not 

 ripen altogether or the cotton gets 

 spoiled by the rain water entering the 

 open pod. 



The best land for the cultivation of 

 kapok is porous, sandy clay soil near the 

 sea level or a little above it, in a climate 

 with a dry east monsoon. On sandy soil 

 like that in Kediri, Java, the trees also 

 grow very well. Wet east monsoons 

 always have a bad influence, both on the 

 setting of the fruit and on the quality 

 of the cotton. 



Methods of Propagation. 

 The kapok tree can be grown either 

 from cuttings or from seed. From cut- 

 tings it is very easily grown, as nearly 

 every piece of the tree, even of pretty 

 old ones, will grow when put in the 

 ground, but it is better to propagate it 

 from seeds, if only for the reason that 

 no trees need be destroyed for the 

 purpose. 



The seed must be planted at the be- 

 ginning or about the middle of the west 

 monsoon in seed beds which must be 

 only lightly covered. If the soil is poor 

 it is recommended that some old stable 

 manure be put in about ten days before 

 sowing. Care must be taken that the 

 plants in the seed beds do not stand too 

 close together. The best way is to sow 



* The imbul or pulun-imbul of the Sinhalese, 

 everywhere grown in their mixed gardens, and 

 to be recognised by its horizontally spreading 

 branches. A small trade in the cotton is lately 

 springing up, but Java has the lion's share at 

 present. — Ed. 



in rows at a distance of from 25 to 30 

 centimeters. The distances can vary 

 according to the richness of the soil, 



As soon as the young plants are about 

 10 to 15 centimeters high the covering can 

 be taken away gradually, so that some 

 twenty days after sprouting they are 

 exposed to the full sun. This is neces- 

 sary, because kapok requires a great deal 

 of sun, and when too much shaded it 

 grows thin and lanky. Soon after tak- 

 ing away the covering is the best time 

 for removing the poorest plants, as it 

 can then be seen which plants are the 

 hardiest, No work is necessary on the 

 seed beds except weeding, but if there is 

 a long period ot dry weather it is 

 necessary to water the plants, or better 

 still to irrigate the soil. About the 

 beginning of the following west mon- 

 soon the young trees can be planted out. 



Transplanting.— Kapok is often plant- 

 ed along the roads on the coffee and 

 cacao plantations. A distance of from 

 12 to 15 ft. between the trees is usually 

 sufficient. It is recommended to plant 

 the kapok when the plantation is newly 

 opened up. If the plantation is older 

 and already gives shade it will happen 

 very often that the kapok grows lanky 

 and forms into thin trees with few 

 branches. 



If kapok is to be the chief product, and 

 the whole land is planted therewith, it is 

 recommended to plant not more than 

 250 trees per bouiv,* as when closer to- 

 gether the trees soon interfere with one 

 another. This is the case when the soil 

 is rich and the land low. If the soil is 

 not so good, or if situated at a higher 

 altitude, shorter distances between the 

 trees may be allowed. 



Before transplanting it is best to strip 

 off all the leaves and to cut the tree 

 itself down to a height of 1£ or 2 ft., also 

 cut the chief roots so as to make stumps 

 of them. Of such stumps a large per- 

 centage will grow. After a year it can- 

 not be seen where the cutting has been 

 done. If the tree is not cut short the 

 top will usually die right down to 

 the ground, which, of course, means that 

 the growth of the new top will be retard- 

 ed even if the whole tree does not die. 

 It is recommended that holes be made in 

 advance in which to plant the trees. It 

 is necessary to keep the soil thoroughly 

 free from weeds, especially from cogon, 



. * Bouw = 0'75 hectare = 175 acres; 



