1>EC. 1, 189 V] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICtTLTURiST. 
421 
forks, pressed, again boiled and pressed, sun dried, 
and washed over with lime. 
Quality of Rubber. - The rubber brought iu from 
the region bordering on Cliina is wretclied-looking 
stuff, consisting of chunks resembling dark tufa or 
balls, 30 per cent, of which is sand, bark, and clay. 
JIany of the dirty stringy globes the natives have 
to sell remind one of a ball made by a thrifty mother 
of different sizes of twine that has been played with 
in the muddy streets by her scampish sons. Th se 
unscrupulous col ectors alwoys conceal a lump of 
mud in the centre of the glutinous mass, imagining 
since it is sold nominally by weigh , that their cheat- 
ing has not b ing foreknown and provided for. The 
ju gle people also mix with the produce of the 
JPicKS finstica rubbers derived from two large creepers, 
tbe botanical names of which are Cho/temoriiha inac- 
rophyVa and Ithyncodia walichii. 
Planting the Ficus. — Recently the authorities 
have been spending large amounts of money, and 
wisely directed effort in planting and raising the 
Ficut elastica. The British G-ivernment has come 
with purpose of staying, and it can afford to wait 
for the large returns that are certain to be de- 
rived from its investmems iu plantations and forest 
reservations. It is a difficult thing to arrive at the 
truth in an investigation in regard to future pro- 
ductions, lor those who know most difler widely 
in their judgmen*. Dr. Geo ge King, the superin- 
lendentof the Royal Botanic Garden, tells me that 
he " expects a decided increase in the rubber pro- 
duct within a reasonable period, as the effect of 
the protection of rubber trees within British ter- 
ritory," while Mr. Gustav Mann, conservator of 
forests, informs me '• that there is sure to be a 
decrease of natural supply from this country. ' No 
practical scientists stand higher than these two 
gentlemen. 
Be the results of forest protection and forest des- 
tru tion what they may, the Government is using 
great precuation against the absolute ruin of the 
rubber industry, by starting Ficns elastica plan- 
tations in different parts of the country. 
PLANTING AND CULTIVATING THE fICOS, 
Sowing the Ficus Seed, — The seed of this tree 
ripens from January to March, when it is collected 
as it falls, and dried in the sun. It is, properly 
speaking, the fruit, and consists of small figs the 
size of a pea. These, at the time of sowing, are 
broken between the hands, and the seed thus 
mixed with the particles of fruit is sown without 
any attempt to clean or separate the seed. About 
76 seed are in one fig. Germination takes place 
sometimes only three months after the seed has 
been sown, and as it is very small, it is scattered 
on the surface of the soil only. It requires as 
much ligiit as possible from above; side shale is 
an advantage. The seed is sown on beds, or in 
boxes or flowerpots, and it is most essen.ial that 
the drainage of the soil be perfect and that the 
earth never becomes soaking wet ; whilst on the 
other hand it is never allowed to become thoroughly 
dry, but is kept always moist. 
Transplanting.— As the seedlings are very small 
at first, they are tr^ ated with great care, and drip 
from trees above the seed bed is guarded against. 
The soil is kept loose and open. Vegetable mould 
is the best soil. When seedlings are 2 or 3 inches 
high, they have formed already a little thickened 
root, something like a small carrot, and are then 
transplanted very safely. This is done on a pro- 
perly dug nursery bed, well drained, and the seed- 
lings are placed about 1 foot apart, in lines also a 
a foot from each other. After the seedlings have 
become 1 to 2 feet in hi igh. they are very hardy, 
and can t^e transplanted at any time of the year; 
but to protect them from the deer, who are extre- 
mely fond nf the leaves, and to avoid the great 
expanse of fencing in a plai/tition, it is deemed ad- 
visable to transplant the young trees a second 
time in nurseries, giving them more room, say o 
to i fi;ot BQuaro to each plant, and to let them 
jrow until lO 12 feet ^lgh, when they can bo 
put out into the plantation without fear that the 
deer will destroy them. Th y require, however, a 
strong stake each, as t' e deer will bend the young 
: trees down wi'h the'r horns if not staked. 
1 Seedlings of Ficus elastica planted in the forks 
' of trees in the forest are very difficult to attend 
: to, and they iu consequence often become dry 
about their roots, which retards their growth if it 
does not kill them. For these reasons rubber trees 
' planted on the ground grow much better in Assam 
p'antations, and the latter mode of plan ing hag 
j therefore been adopted almost exclusively. They 
are not planted, however, on the ground in the 
I common way, but on snnall mounds 3 to 4 feet 
I high of earth, and the cut wood and rubbish close 
j at hand, which suits the epiphytal habit of growth 
of this tree. 
Cuttings. — This rubber tree can also readily be 
propagated from cuttings, if only perfectly ripe 
young branches or shoots are used, but young trees 
so raised are not so hardy as the seedlings, and 
do not make equally good growth in the first five 
to ten years. 
Situation. — To insure the greatest possible amount 
of moisture in the atmosphere, the plantations of 
Ficus elastica in Assam have been made in the 
moist evergreen forests, near the foot of the hills, 
through which lines 40 feet in width were cleared 
100 feet apart from centre to centre of the lines, 
thus leaving CO feet of forest standing between the 
lines. On these cleared lines the mounds for the 
planting of seedlings or saplings are thrown up at 
a distance of 25 feet apart. Oare has to be taken 
afterwards to prevent the forest trees left standing 
closing in above, over the lines and the rubljer 
trees planted on them, which they have always a 
tendency to do, and which, if not guarded against, 
is very detrimental to the growth of the young 
rubber trees. This is easily effected t y lopping the 
branches of the forest trees left standing. The 
undergrowth which springs up on these lines and 
as a rule grows roost vigorously, has also to be 
cleared two or three times in the year for the first four 
or five years to admit air for the young rubber 
trees ; but beyond this, and the putting occasionally 
some more earth on to the mounds on which the 
trees were planted, nothing is necessary. The lines 
for planting are cut in an east and west direction, 
so as to p'Otect the young rubber trees against the 
strong sun in the middle of the day ; the atmos- 
phere also keepa moister in this case than if the 
lines were cut south and north. High ground ia 
always best, and swampy ground where water lod. 
ges is avoided; I'ut the tree grows very well on 
alluvial flats, on the banks of rivers, even though 
the land be inundated for few days once or twice 
in the year. 
DuREANY Plantation. — The only successful plan- 
tation of any size in India is in the Dnrrany 
district of the province of Assam. Its area ia 
now 1,638 acres and the trees are growing 
luxuriantly, Since it is n^ t thought to be wise to 
tap the trees before they are twenty-five years old, 
no estimate can as yet be made as to what the 
product will be As it is said that an amount 
varying from 40 to 80 pounds of rubber has been 
taken from a forest tree yearly without injury, 
there is an opportunity for everyone to make his 
own calculation as to the outcome of the govern, 
mental experiments. 
The Natural Supply.- When men who knew 
most in regard to the rubber business are asked 
whether they fear a decrease of the natural supply 
of rubber, the rep'y is almost always in the atiirm- 
&tWe ; but they arc careful to add the lack of 
knowledge, which, perhaps, is unattainable, and the 
rapid increase of manufactories are the causes of th« 
commercial fright. 
It was my pleasure to have a long conversation 
with I\Iaj. 3. A. Betts, who to scientific acquirements 
has added that practical knowledge that comes to a 
buiiuess man with opportunities of travel ; while 
an officer in the Chinese omiy be explojs^ the Jwga 
