Gums, Resins, 



14 



Mr. Wright :— I have never seen correspondence to that effect. The plants 

 were sent on to Peradeniya. Some were Hevea Brasiliensis and others Hevea 

 Spruciana. The latter was tried and proved to be a failure at that time. I hear 

 that sometimes in the Amazon district they tap both and mix the two of them 

 with Sapium aucuparium. 



CLOVER GRASS IN PLANTATIONS. 



Mr. Franklin :— Can you tell us whether the small native clover grass 

 would do any harm if it was allowed to grow ? 



Mr. Wright :— The clover you mention, if it is the same as I am thinking of, 

 is really a useful manure and is moderately rich in nitrogen. 



Mr. Franklin :— If the rubber is clean weeded and it is allowed to grow in 

 lines, would it be a good thing ? 



Mr. Harries :— I think it is the same weed as grows in the Kurunegala 

 district coconut estates. 



Mr. Wright :— As long as it does not get round the rubber trees and make 

 a mess, it is all right. 



Mr. Jenkyns :— Is it not more like a violet than a clover leaf ? 



Mr. Harries :— It grows along the ground. 



what is the best system op tapping? 



Mr. Hunt :— Can you tell us which is the best system of tapping as regards 

 the future vitality of the tree ; the herring bone, spiral, semi-spiral or V systems 

 of tapping— which do you think the best to do ? 



Mr. Wright :— Presuming that each system is carried out properly ? It is 

 rather an interesting point. If you work out the rubber obtained by tapping, you 

 find the maximum yield in the same period of time is given by the full spiral. You 

 get more rubber in a given period of time from the full spiral than from the herring 

 bone or by the half-spiral ; but when you come to work out the weight of rubber 

 obtained per unit of bark excised you find the full spiral gives you the minimum 

 of rubber per square inch of bark cut away, and it may be considered the best 

 system for places requiring thinning out. The half -spiral, though it gives a low 

 yield in a given time, gives the maximum per unit of bark cut away. 



the best part to practise tapping on. 



Mr. Hunt :— Suppose you are going to do bad tapping— everyone must do a 

 certain amount in teaching coolies and so on- is it better that the cambium should 

 be cut near the ground or further up ; or would it be better to erect staging and 

 let them cut further up ? 



Mr. Wright : — I am inclined to think that where you think there is very 

 much risk you should give them a branch — the first branch you can get- -rather 

 than give them any part of the main stem. After all is said and done, the tree 

 itself is a moderately hardy one. 



Mr. Hunt :— You would get no rubber there, the bark is so small. 



Mr. Wright :— If anything I would put them on the upper part above 6 or 10 

 feet. I think you will have quite enough to do to attend to the first 6 feet when 

 you have a few thousand acres going. I do not think it matters very much what 

 part of the tree you damage ; it is so hardy. We have rather 



AN INTERESTING TREE IN HENARATGODA. 



In January, 190ii, it was killed by some means or other and was cut off, about four 

 feet from the ground. It is waterlogged and seems quite rotten, but if you tap 

 that bark which has shown no signs of life for three solid years you will get rubber. 



