822 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[June 1, 190L 
RUBBER CULTIVATION. 
SUMMARY. 
I have not seen any published accounts on 
H'3vea (exceptiritf Brazilian) where as ^jood results 
are obtained as in Mnlaya, either in rate of growth, 
seed production, dimensions, yield and adaptability, 
India Rubber {Ficus elastica). A sample of 
5i lbs. was sent to London, with the Para parcel, 
for sale and opinion. It was reported on as " ^ood 
clean Java character" and valued at 3.s. 6d. pei- lb., 
but sold for 39. 10c?. 
file laro;est tree at Kuala Kangsar is about 90 
feet high, measures 88 feet at 3 feet from the 
ground, measuring round all the aerial roots, the 
branciies extend to 36 paces, and the largest leaves 
are 13 ' x 7 ", its age, 19 years. The growth of 
this tree has been remarkable during the last tliree 
years, from the time its aerial roots reached the 
ground. 
Ficus elastica is an indigenous tree, found in 
Upper Perak, It is naturally an epiplyte, and its 
growth would be no doubt assisted if planted at 
the bases of felled trees. Its growth is slow at 
first but rapid when well established. Consider- 
ing the enormous dimensions this tree attains, 10 
to the acre would be close enough planting, and 
as perhaps 8 years would have to elapse before 
the tree could be profitably tapped, the interven- 
ing spaces could be utilized by some other crop, 
even Bevea, which would be beneficial to the 
growth of the Ficus, 
TAPPING. 
As the latex Ficus etes^t'ca coagulates on the 
tree it is best to tap on dry days only. From 
single incisions, about 4 inches long, and rather 
more apart, the latex slowly exudes, and iu 2 or 
3 days afterwards can be collected. At times the 
latex runs more freely and then some drops to the 
ground, this can be collected on plantain leaves, 
but the quality is not so good as that which 
coagulates on the tree. At Kuala Kangsar seeds 
ripen about October, the fruiting season being 
between July and October, and I should not think 
these the months for tapping, I consider December, 
January, and the following months best. 
YIELD. 
I have not any information as to the age when 
Fimis elastica could be profitably tapped. At 
Kuala Kangsar there are two trees 12 years old, 
and two 19 years old, from the latter 26 lbs. of 
rubber has been obtained from each tree, and the 
tapping was far short of being exhaustive. The 
result of the other trees has not yet been ascer- 
tained, but I expect good results. 
Getah Singret (Willughlina firma.) A small 
sample was sent to London with the Para parcel, 
and reported on as '' good strong Borneo character," 
valued and sold at 25. 6d. per lb. This is the best ©f 
the indigenous creepers, but I doubt Tery much 
if it ordinarily reaches the European market in 
a pure state, being usually used to adulterate 
getah percha. 
Getah Taban Sutra (Dichopsis gutta var). There 
is one example of this tree in the Kuala Kangsar 
garden which is said to be 17 years old, and 
fruited for the lirst time in November, 1900. A 
few herbarium specimens were obtained, all the 
other fruits beiag carried off by squirrels before 
being ripe. The height of this tree is 25 
feet, and girth 2 feet at 3 feet from the ground, 
a jungle tree growing under heavy canopy would 
of course be much higher, with less branching 
)iabit, and mnaller girth, 
Getah Percha (Dichopsis Polyantha). A 
variety of getah percha which grows from near 
the foot of Larut hill to 3,000 feet. A mountain 
form which may prove valuable for planting on 
high laud. None, however, were observed in fruit, 
and it is probable that with this tree, as with 
many indigenous trees, a fruiting season only 
occurs every few years. Seedlings are abundant, 
but the suiallest seem two years old. — K. Derry. 
PLANTING NOTES. 
Sugar i.s Hawaii. — Regarding the possibilities of 
the cultivation -of sugar cane in the Hawaiian 
Islands, Pruf. Stubba said the soil was the best in 
the world for the cultivation of cane, being s'lperior 
to that of Cuba. The yield on the arid and irrigated 
lauds of the islands is from eight to fifoepn tons 
of sugar per acre, while in Louisiana the yield is 
about IJ toas per acre. But aboat all the available 
lands having been taken up in the cultivation of 
cane already, the increase of production cannot far 
exceed the present output. The total value of the 
agricultural produce of tlie islands is pu,OUO,000 of 
which 817,500,000 is to be credited to sugar. Thus 
it will be seen that the islands have already 
reached, or nearly reached, the limit of yield. The 
drawbacks to the cultivation of cane in these 
particularly favored islands are the high price of 
coal — which reaches as high as $12 per ton — the cost 
of irriga4;ion, and the great cost of sugar house 
plant. Nevertheless, the profits are so large as 
to practically preclude the cultivation of any crop 
but cane. — l^ouisiana Sugar Planters' Journal. 
Zanzibar Produce.— Mr K JS Lyne, Director 
of Agriculture at Zanzibar, in his annual report 
lor 1899, just issued, states that the cultivation 
of vanilla is increasing, and that three thousand 
vines are now planted out. No further expen- 
diture has been incurred in experimenting with 
chillies, as they do not pay to cultivate in Z-in- 
zibar, except for the native, to whom time is no 
object. Their growth is uncertain, the crops 
light, and the collection of the crop expensive. 
The year was a very bad one for cloves, the 
general crop of the island being, if anything, 
slightly less, Kubber, tea and cocoa are also dealt 
with in the report, which, however, lacks in- 
terest owing to its stale information. — Chemist 
and Druggist, May II. 
Indian and Ceylon Tea Shares Values : 
Recovery Beginning after a steady 
Decline.— In view of the smart drop which 
recently took place in many ot these shares, 
the following figures, compiled by Mr. George 
Seton, of 120, Bishopsgate-street, E.G., should 
prove of interest. Recent figures, it will be 
seen, show that the values of the shares of 45 
of the leading companies dropped to nearly 
the lowest point at the commencement of the 
month of April. There has been a slight 
recovery since, but the figures will not be 
again compiled until 1st prox. 
Face value of 45 companies £9,000,000 
Market value 1st January, 1900 ... 9,500,000 
Do 1st July, 1900 ' ... 8,900,000 
Do 1st January, 1901 ... 8,550,000 
Do Ish February, 1901..,. 7.950.0o0 
Do 1st March, 1901 ... 7,450,000 
Do 1st April, 1901 ... 7,500,000 
The tendency, for the moment, is towards 
rather higher values, but in view of the un- 
favourable results for 1900 that are expected 
to be shown in many of the annual reports, 
gome reaction inayj not unlikely, again occur^ 
