214 THE TROPICAL 
regard to future supplies as those to which the 
official reports are now drawing attention. Facilities 
for exploration in the more remote districts are being 
rapidly developed, and though the rubber vine country 
is extensive, the plants themselves are scattered about 
in widely distributed groups, chiefly in those valleys 
that still retain their primeval forests, ranging up 
from the level of the plains to 6,000 feet atove the 
sea. We may mention that the home of the plants is 
comprised between the meridians 80° to 110° east 
longitude, and 22nd 30th parallels of north latitude, 
though extending down the mountain ranges lying 
between the 90th and 95th meridians, from the extreme 
N. E. corner of India through the Malayan peninsula 
to Singapore. In and around this belt the adjacent 
countries furnish supplies that sre becoming available 
as our marts are pushed up to our ever-increasiDg bor- 
der; but as no attempt is made for conserving the viues 
from which such supplies are obtained, the matter of 
exhaustion is but a question of time. 
As far as the two former vines are concerned, initial 
propagation is accomplished by birds, who carry the 
seeds of the ripe figs from tree top to tree top, where 
thej take parisitical hold, gradually enveloping the tree 
upon which they have been deposited in their folds 
until it entirely disappears, the vine assuming the 
character of a tree, leading the uninitiated to mistake 
it for one. The gum from the first two vines, when 
intelligently collected, is hard and firm, and loses but 
little weight m transit; but in Assam and Burmah, 
native collectors adulterate it with the juice of the 
banian, jac, and other similar trees that yield a milky 
sap. Chavannessia, though more abundant and a much 
quicker grower than either of the others, never loses 
its character of a creeper, but not only does not yield 
so prolifioally, but its produce, when exposed but to 
moderate heat, becomes flaccid, sticky, and parts with 
a considerable amount of moisture ; we therefore 
dismiss it. 
Much misconception exists as to the age at which the 
two first-named vines can safely be tapped, such 
misconceptions arising from the proceedings of 
the Indian Forest Department, who, in forming plan- 
tations, have in view of the twofold objects of providing 
tall umbrageous plants for rain attractors to denuded 
tracts, and prohibiting tapping until the plant had at- 
tained a size and strength to yield between 300 and 400 
pounds per season. But a little study of the plant 
(and there are thousands in and around London, at 
least of Ficus elastica,) will prove that with care and 
moderation plants may be tapped at a very much 
earlier age than is generally supposed. The fact is that, 
given heat and moisture corresponding to a rainfall of 
200 inches, Ficus can be bled at the end of its third 
year from slips, age not being so much the guide in 
the matter as size and development of mature wood. 
We have been favoured with the result of some experi- 
ments carried out in India at a spot 1,500 feet above 
the sea. The slips of vine were the thickness of an 
ordinary middle finger, and eighteen inches in height, 
when planted ; they struck rapidly, and at the end of 
the third year had attained the height of six feet of 
matured wood, with a girth, one foot from the ground 
of from twelve to eighteen inches. Incisions on eaoh 
side about a foot below the green shoots were made, 
and ear.h plant yielded four pounds of clean gum the 
fii>t season, an additional two pounds being taken 
each succeeding year up to the eight ; the deductions 
from which are, that as an acre planted eight feet by 
eight fees would contain 676 plants, the yield up to the 
eighteenth year, when the plants could be tapped from 
the roots and give its 300 to 400 pounds annually, would 
be as under : — 
3rd year @ 4 pounds per tree = 2,700 lb. per acre. 
4th „ „ 6 „ „ „ 4,000 „ „ 
5th „ „ 8 „ „ „ 5,300 „ „ 
10th „ „ 18 „ „ „ 11 900 „ 
and su on. Ficus will grow on flat land, arid with little 
training can be kept from straggling, and though it 
might be necessary to thin out the plantation, the yield 
wuul 1 ii )t be affected, inasmuch as the necessity for 
tb.int.iiJg out being begotten of the development of 
plant 9, they would have attained sufficient robustness 
AGRICULTURIST. [September i, 1888. 
to make good any deficiency that might be expected 
to arise from reduction of numbers. 
Urceola needs support, and might, as has been sug- 
gested, be trained ou rocks or allowed to run riot amid 
the forest though from its more straggling nature it 
would be difficult to estimate correctly its yield per 
plant per acre. 
The subjoined figures, therefore, are drawn out on 
the assumption that Ficus is the variety to be dealt 
with, and the expense^ spread over three years. 
EssiMATE FOR 100 ACEB PLANTATION OF 
Ficus Elastica, 
Clearing at £3 per acre ... £ 300 
67,600 slips at 6d. ... ... 1,700 
Planting ... ... ... 100 
General cultivation ... ... 9,000 
Tapping and gathering ... 3,380 
Freight on 120 tons ... ... 300 
Building ... ... ... 500 
Management, at £400 ... ... 1,200 
Incidental ... ... ... 520 
£ 17,000 
Pee Contra. 
270,400 1b. of gum at 2s. ... £27,000 
Balance ... ... ... 10,000 
£ 17,000 
Foukth Year. 
General cultivation... ... £3,000 
Tapping and gathering ... 3,380 
Freight on 180 tons ... ... 450 
Management ... ... 400 
Incidental ... ... ... 770 
£ 8,000 
Per Contha. 
400,000 lb. gum, at 2s. ... £40,000 
Balance ... ... ... 32,000 
£ 8,000 
Our readt rs can elaborate these calculations, which 
will show the advantages of growing direct for their 
own requirements. — O. W. — Indiarubber and Gutta- 
percha Journal. 
[The above article is a surprise to us, as Ficus elastica 
in Ceylon is a large tree and never a parasite or vine. 
If the accouut given of its performances can be trusted, 
it is certainly the plant to cultivate for indiarubber. 
—Ed.] 
Daffodils. — To show what manuring will do on 
light soil, Mr. Jenkins (Collins, Gabriel & Co.) has 
just shown us bulbs of the Tenby Daffodil weighing 
about a quarter of an ounce, and others from the 
same original sample increased to If ounce ; and 
parent bulbs of Emperor with four and five off- 
sets weighing collectively 12J ounces. The bulbs 
are not merely large but of excellent substance 
and quality _ The bulbs in question are grown in 
light soil to which a good proportion of dried cow- 
manure is added. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Burnt Ceylon Teas. — A Ceylon planter now 
at home, writing about the end of July, says : — 
" When in Glasgow I tasted some samples of Ceylon 
teas distinctly burnt. The tea-taster, an experi- 
enced man, but otherwise unconnected with Ceylon, 
told me that during the past twelve months several 
Ceylon teas had been more or less burnt. General 
complaint is made of the poor keeping qualities 
of Ceylon teas ; they 'go off ' so quickly, and it 
is suggested that too rapid firing may be the 
cause. The effect of getting over this difficulty, 
i.e. of putting our teas on a par with Indian in 
' keeping ' qualities, would be to add pence per 
lb. to their value. I have been told that Mr. Davidson, 
the Sirosco man, refires all his teas in Belfast and 
increases the value 2d per lb." 
