Juke 1, 1903.] THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
801 
the few score of bulbs in each stool have to obtain 
their nutritiou froin the immediate neighbour- 
hood. The roots often extend seperal feet beyond 
the stool, but the large space between the stools is 
rarely drawn upon to any great extent. The stools 
being in lines along hillsides, it is obvious that the 
rains will successfully carry away the greater part 
of the soluble materials in the soil between the stools. 
In order to prevent this an experimental half-acre 
plot of each variety has been laid out with a view to 
establishing what we may call the " terrace " system. 
In this system single bulbs have been planted 4 feet 
apart, and their growth will only be allowed to con- 
tinue in the direction of lines running at right angles 
to the slope of the hill. The lines wiL be kept at 
from two to three bulbs wide. 
By this means the whole of the materials washed 
down the hillsides by the rain will become lodged along 
the lines of cardamoms, and as their root system 
will extend upwards and downwards there ought to 
be minimum loss of nutritive materials. 
The original number of plants in these plots is 
the same as in those which are being cultivated on 
the " stool " system, the only difference being that 
they are planted sii^gly 4 feet apart instead of in 
pairs 8 feet apart. 
In the second place the stool method lends itself to 
the establishment of many fungi, myxomycetes, d'o, : 
in consequence of the crowded nature of the plants 
Ereventing the access of light on the lower part of the 
ulbs. In the terrace system the light will huve easier 
access to the bulbs, and may consetxitently keep 
fungi in check. — Times of Ceylon, 
^ : 
A STUDY IN RUBBER PLANTING 
In No. 7 of the "Bulletin de la Societe d'Etnd's 
Coloniales" Octave Collet gives a long account of rubber 
planting in the East, and as he appears to think 
that the two species of rubber tree known respectively 
as Ficus elastica and Sevea Brasihensis offer the best 
prospect for planting purposes, a review of his publi- 
cation may be of some interest. This all the more so 
as the general opinion amongst those best able to 
judge is at present rather in favour of Castilloa elastica. 
in this relation, however, it should perhaps be pointed 
out that while there can be no doubt regarding the 
eminent suitability of the last named species for 
planting purposes rn all parts of Central America, 
including all the northern districts of South America 
the resalts obtained in the East with Castilloa are, 
to say the least of it, not by any means en- 
couraging, whereas Hevea seems to offer very good 
prospects m the Malay Peniasula, Sumatra, and Java. 
Thatp many rubber planting experiments have been 
with Ficus elastica, particularly in Java, is vpell known, 
but as we possess no very clear accounts respecting 
the results obtained. Collet's paper on this subject 
is of considerable interest. 
Collet describes the following plantations of Ficus 
elastica : — 
" The oldest of all existing plantations is the one 
at Pamanoekan and Tjassem Landen in Java, consists 
of 212,000 hectares, 83 of which were planted with 
Ficus elasticd in 1864, and which have been tapped 
since 1881. 
" The appearance of this plantation is very unsatis- 
factory. The trees incline in all directions, have been 
allowed to grow at random, and to throw out branches 
at very little height above the soil. In many parts 
the air shoots sent out by the trees form an almost 
impenetrable tangle. 
" Next in age comes the plantation of Tjkandi Oedik, 
covering almost the same area, but containing rather 
fewer trees, as these have been planted at nearly four 
yards distance from each other. 
" Against these plantations laid out by Europeans 
we have at Poewokerto a plantation made by the 
natives of that villiige. The trees, which are now 
twelve years old, are planted at intervals of 12 yards 
and have grown to the considerable height of 16 yards 
The best developed trees possess a circumference 
of two yards, measured ona yard above ground. 
Mention should also be made of the plantation at 
the botanical gardens at Buitenzorg, which covers 
over 4,000 square yards, the trees having been 
planted at a distance of seven yards. 
It appears that although these plantations yield 
satisfactory results from the commercial point of view, 
the most instructive example as regards the plantation 
of Ficus elastica is aflorded by the plantations eiisting 
at Deli Moeda, Friok, and Boeloe (Sumatia), which 
contain about 77,000 trees, about one-ljalf of which 
consist of Ficus elastica, most of them less than five 
years old. The trees of various ages showed the 
following measurement : — 
Height. Circumference, 
ft. in, in 
Ficus in nursery (6 months) 2 4 ... — 
Ficus in plantation (1 year) 8 4 ,. 10 
„ „ (2 years) 11 8 . , 14 
» „ (3 „ ) 16 8 16 
Ci „ ) 21 8 20 
These figures represent very low averages, indeed 
most of the older trees exceed these measurements 
very considerably . It is, therefore, safe to state th.-.t 
upon suitable land Ficus elastica reaches in a very 
few years, quite an knposiug growth if properly 
treated. 
The must interesting matter is, of course, the yield 
of rubber produced by these trees. It appeirs that 
on the average ab.iut 2 cwts. of rubber per hectare 
are obtained annually, whjch is quite sufficient to 
render such cultivations highly remunerative. At 
Pamanoekati and Tjassen Lanlan, the oldest plan- 
tations of Ficus in exi.=.ter»ce, the trees yield 5 lb, per 
tree, or the almost incredible quantity of 55 cwts. 
per hectare. There remains, therefore, only the 
question to be answered at what age the tree is ready 
for the first tapping. 
Warburg states that the trees begm to yield rubber 
when five years old, but that the quantity produced 
then is unremunerative, and only becomes satisfactory 
when the trees are from eight to ten years old. Collet 
finds that although satisfactory yields are obtainable 
from trees not more than four years old, it is in the 
interest of the development of the trees, nevertheless, 
desirable not to tap them until they are seven years 
old. He states the following yields : — 
Tree 16 years old ., 4 lb. 6 oz. 
7 I. .1 .. .. 1 „ 10 „' 
„>. 6 „ „ .. .. 1 ,, 2 „ 
From a 5J year old tree he obtained 1 lb. 11 oz, d 
rubber, and Schleohter 3 lb 14 oz., from a ten year 
old tree. There is, therefore, no doubt that the cnltiv* 
tion of Ficus elastica is extremely easy, and at the 
end of seven or eight years produces most satis- 
factory reaalta.— India Rubber and Gtitta-PercJia Trades 
Journal. 
BOTTLE-TREES AS FODDER. 
The following interesting cutting from The Pioneer 
of the 15th June was sent to the Society for further 
information on the subject ;— '• Trees as fodder. A 
Brisbane newspaper says : The value of the bottle, 
tree as fodder for stock during times of drought 
has been brought under the notice of the Agricultural 
Department by Mr. E. Bowman, of Bauhiniavale. 
Taropm. He states that a trial was first made by 
a neighbour. Mr. Bowman was cutting down a tree 
for the leaves, when the sheep began to run after 
the chips, and so ihe tree was opened up, with the 
result, he says, that every head of stock " went 
mad over it." Mr. Bowman, although he has no 
grass, has bronght 900 merino ewes on the strength 
of the discovery, Lainbs eat it as well as the old 
sheep. An instance is given of a 15 years old pet 
wether without a tooth, growing fat since eating 
the tree. Any kind of stock will eat the wod after 
