139 
tapping of this tree ; yet throughout both Ceylon and Southern 
India planters unanimously agree that this difficulty does exist." 
He then describes at length the proper method of tapping, 
which is now being tried at Nahiku, and concludes : 
"In many cases, alienated Manihots assimilate habits of marked 
eccentricity, due doubtless to local climatic conditions and environ- 
ment, against which it is powerless to struggle in a proud attempt 
to assert its own inherited characteristics. This is very marked 
in regard to the behavior of the latex, which is generally thick 
and sluggish of movement, and therefore extremely difficult to 
manipulate except in the form of 'scrap' or naturally coagulated 
'bair rubber. In Ceylon, however, and also to a large extent in 
India, Hawaii and the Philippines, the Ceara tree yields a latex 
as fluid and as ready as that of Hevea, with the result that a very 
fine, translucent, elastic, resiUent, amber colored 'biscuit' is being 
produced, and is being much sought after by tire manufacturers 
all over the world." 
SOIL AMELIORATION, 
By J. F. C. Hagens. 
III. 
(Concluded.) 
Correction of unfavorable conditions due to the natural location. 
TERRACING. 
In a hilly country it is frequently observed that while the hill- 
tops and slopes produce but scant crops, the hollows show a very 
much better growth. This is due not only to displacement of the 
fertile clay and silt of the surface soil by rain and other natural 
causes, but also to a certain degree to human influence in the 
course of cultivation. After a heavy rain storm in these islands, 
the sea is often colored for a considerable distance beyond the 
mouths of the mountain streams. This is caused by the fine soil 
particles, consisting mostly of the valuable clay, carried away by 
the rain, and always iiieans a heavy loss to the landowner. It is, 
as a rule, exceedingly difficult to stay this natural denuding of 
the soils, particularly with steep slopes, yet there are often ways 
by which much of the valuable soil, so washed away, could be 
preserved to agriculture. As a matter of fact the greater portion 
of soil particles, especially the so-called silt, carried away by the \ 
water, will precipitate wherever the rapid flow of the water is 
arrested. The formation of large banks of detritus at the mouth 
of large rivers on the mainland proves this sufficiently. A great 
