3 



GUMS, RESINS, SAPS AND EXUDATIONS. 



The Science of Para Rubber Cultivation. 



A Lecturk by Herbert Wright. 

 [Illustrated.] 



Mr. Herbert Wright, a.r.c.s., F.L.S., Controller of the Government Experi- 

 mental Station at Peradeniya and author of Hevea Brasiliensis, delivered a lecture 

 on the Science of Para Rubber Cultivation in the Public Hall, at Kegalle, on 

 June 9th, under the auspices of the Kegalle Planters' Association. Keen interest 

 was evinced in the event, and the local planters mustered in force, some riding as 

 much as 16 aud 20 miles to be present. This is the first lecture on Para Rubber 

 that has been delivered in Ceylon, and is in all probability the commencement of 

 a series. Mr. Wright confined his remarks to " Distance aud Pruning," the initial 

 operations ; and under these heads discussed exhaustively the principles of planting 

 and the treatment of young plants. He allowed himself half-an-hour and stopped 

 precisely to the minute ; but he was able to compress into 30 minutes an amazing 

 amount of useful information. At the close of the lecture Mr. Wright invited 

 questions, and of these there was no lack. Information was adduced which will 

 be read with interest aud be found useful to rubber planters all over the island. 

 Mr. Edgar Smith, Chairman of the Kegalle Planters' Association, presided, and there 

 were also present : — Messrs. B. H, Jenkyns, Hon. Secretary, Kegalle P.A., P. T. L. 

 Weatherall, T. R. Walker, A. A. Franklin, C. D. Hunt, Edward Hawkins, G. 

 Hawkins, J. M. Power, A. E. Barrs, A. H. C. Luschwitz, Philip F. Ondaatje, G. 

 Harries and R. Tait, a young Scotch botanist from Edinburgh on his way to Christ- 

 mas Island to enquire into the agricultural resources and possibilities of the island 

 which is in the hands of the Christmas Island Phosphates Company. 



The Lecture. 



The Chairman :— I have much pleasure, gentlemen, in introducing Mr. 

 Herbert Wright, who has come to give us a lecture on the Science of Para Rubber. 



Mr. Wright was received with applause on rising to speak. He said : — 

 Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen.— When I yielded to the fourth "dun "from 

 your persevering Secretary and promised to lecture on the subject of Para Rubber, 

 I found myself in an awkward position and wondered what subject to take up which 

 would be of importance to you as practical men. There are so many details con- 

 i nected with the development of rubber plants from the nursery to maturity, and 

 such an abundance of schemes regarding the collection of latex and its conversion 

 into rubber, that I found it most difficult to make a selection which would, without 

 doubt, prove interesting to your Association. I finally resolved, as this is our first 

 lecture on Para Rubber, to begin at the beginning and to discuss with you some of 

 the principles of ordinary planting operations and the treatment of the young 

 plants. If we have time to touch on matters of interest to planters with mature 

 rubber, we will do so, but these can perhaps be brought forward in the form of 

 questions. 



DISTANCE IN PLANTING. 



The first subject for discussion is the distance at which Para rubber trees 

 should be planted. At the present time, Para rubber is planted at distances varying 

 from 10 to 25 feet apart, and it is obvious that such a variation speaks volumes for 

 our ignorance of the principles of this subject. I do not profess to understand the 

 principles better than anyone else, but I think you will agree with me that the 

 distance adopted should be one which will allow free development of all parts of 



