204 
THE TROPICAi 
AGRICULTURIST. [Sept. 1, 1903. 
ab Nha-Trang. On his way back to Paris for a 
holiday Dr Yersin broke his journey at Ceylon and 
atnong other places visited the plantation of Mr 
F J Holloway at Kepitigalla, and some of 
bis impressions on rubber cultivation as carried on 
at this estate are given. The interview is recorded 
by Mons. M P Cabot, and we extract the following 
which we translate for our readers. 
Some five years ago Dr Yersin, Director of the 
Pastenr Institute of Nha-Trang, established a 
plantation of Heveas there in extent about 10 
hectares. He declines to give an opinion on the 
rubber returns from these trees as he cannot tell 
with any exactness for another two years what; 
the returns will be, but certain bits of information 
show the plantation to be fairly satisfactory. You 
know, says Mons. Cabot, that one of the objections 
that is raised against planting Heveas outside 
Amazonia is the dry season which prevents the 
gathering of the latex and hinders the good growth 
of the tree. However, in the Nha-Trang region 
there is a very marked dry season for four months 
luut it agrees perfectly with the same season 
observed by me in Kio Beni. Three years' 
observations in these two places give an average 
of 125 days ot rain per annum ab Nha-Trang, and 
121 days of rain per annum at Rio Beni ; 
the mean annual temperature being 26Jg. C at 
Nha-Trang, and 25'7dg. C at Rio Beni. Because 
Rio Beni with its marked dry season gives a good 
growth and return from Heveas I do not pretend 
to reason that one cannot, therefore, have a more 
favourable place than Nha-Trang, Dr. Yersia 
himself acknowledges that his trees with an 
average growth in circumference of 10 milimetres 
per annum appear to be behind those of Ceylon 
plantations by a year, and two years behind those 
of Malay. But the most important 
factor is the soil: it should be low-lying, even 
swampy, and rich in alluvials ;the sub-soil should 
be clay to retain moisture round the roots. These 
conditions are met more or less in the Nha-Trang 
Valley where Dr. Yersin's trial plantation is 
established. 
I was surprised, he says, with the small per 
centage of seed, imported from Ceylon which 
germinated at Nha-Trang ; 10 to 15 per cent 
only. But the Nba-Trang trees have begun to 
fruit, and the importation of seed from Ceylon 
will not be necessary. When returning to France 
Dr. Yersin visited 
' THE CELEBRATED PLANTATION OP HEVEAS 
(PARA RUBBER) AT KEPITIGALLA 
in Ceylon, which Mr. F. J. Holloway, very 
satisfied with the results obtained, continues to 
extend cocsiderably each year. There Dr. Yersin 
saw in use a very curious tool designed by Mr. 
Holloway to replace the Brazilian machadiHo, and 
tliis instrument appeared rational inasmuch as it 
cut through the bark without harming the sap- 
wood. 
This may be true for young thin-barked trees, 
but would this tool be as good for tapping the 
bark of old Heveas such as 1 have seen in America 
with bark often 10 millimetres thick? I think 
not, and, in any case, the tapping of old trees 
with the" Holloway knife " would make an enorm- 
ous demand on time ; already at Kepitigalla the 
tapping is very slow since it takes three men to 
tap 100 trees distant only 4 Lo 5 metres and to 
place 400 cups ; whilst ii? Amazonia a single 
seringuero in a morning tsips more than 150 trees 
distant 30 to 35 metres, and places 450 to 500 
cups. And what is more he has suilicient 
strength left in the afternoon to smoke the latex 
of his daily gathering ! 
Dr. Yersin appears to throw doubt on tlie large 
returns indicated on certain Ceylon estates, and 
which appear to him to be obtained from certain 
chosen trees. He estimates, with reason, that 
really certain calculations cannot be established 
except by observation on the returns from several 
thousand trees taken together. 
RUBBER DRYING AT KEPITIGALA. 
Mons. Cabot proceeds: The Doctor also saw cakes 
of rubber prepared at Kepitigalla by simple coag- 
ulation and without smoking ; after having' 
passed tlie latex through a fine metal sieve it is 
poured into small tin plates where it coagulates 
spontaaeously, and is left there for 24 hours. The 
cakes are gently flattened with the hand first 
and then by means of a wooden roller, worked 
by hand, and whicli is passed over each face of 
the cake. They are then placed on bamboo frames 
where they dry still more, and, after some days, 
are hung on lines stretched in a draugiit of dry 
air, where they are left about two mouths. They 
must be carefully watched to prevent moulds 
growing on the rubber and a man is specially 
occupied with removing these as fast and as soon 
as they appear. For this rubber which looks 
well in thin clear cakes a higher price is ob- 
tained in London than for good Para. I wonder 
why, because in Amazonia spontaneously coagu- 
lated rubber, non-smoked, in thin disks, it is 
true, but without impurities, are classed and sold 
as " medium." 
The conclusion which I have arrived at from 
my interview with Dr. Yersin, is that the exploi- 
tation of Hevea is not at all impracticable in 
Indo-China provided there is judicious choice in soil 
and climate, and attentive selection of individual 
tree's. Ficus can be exploited more quickly, it is 
true, but the product is undoubtedly inferior to 
to that of Hevea in quality. Just one word again 
on individuality, it is very evident that indivi- 
dual differences of returns among the Heveas ia 
any given plantation are as great in Indo-Chiua 
as in Amazonia and elsewhere. 
THE INVENTION OF A NEW ARTIFIOfAL 
FERTILISER 
is announced from Germany, where it ia being 
promoted by one of the two leading tlectricsd 
Corap«nies in that country. It is tetmed nitro- 
gen of lime, and is composed of a combination 
formed of one part of calcium, one part of carbon 
and two parts of nitrogen. As is known, carbide 
of calcium is obtained by the reduction of lime and 
coal in the electric furnace, and it has now been 
found that on introducing nitrogen into the furnace 
containing the coal and lime there is formed a 
black mass, which is termed nitrogen of lime. It is 
claimed that the new product will be invaluable in 
connection with agriculture, and that it will be 
ab!e to compete with guano, Chili nitrates and 
sulphate of ammonia as a fertiliser of tbe soil,— 
M, Mail, July 22. 
