Oct. 1, 1903.] 
THE TROPICAL AaRICULTURIST. 
241 
every detail connected with the cultivation of the tree, 
and the preparation of the product for commerce. 
Until quite recout years Para rubber of commerce 
was supplied solely from the trees indigenous to the 
swampy forests of Para, South America. But the 
ever-increasing demand for rubber in the manufactures 
and art^, coupled with the high prices obtained for 
the Para variety in comparison with that of others, 
drew the attention of various persons to the advis. 
ability of introducing and cultivating this tree in 
other countries. Planters in Ceylon were among the 
first to commence this cultivation from seeds sup- 
plied by the Ceylon Botanical Department, and 
produced by the trees introduced to Ceylon by the 
Indian Government through the agency of Kew in 187G. 
It is estimated that there are now over 3,000 acres* 
in Ceylon cultivated with this tree. Although 1 saw 
Para trees growing vigorously at all elevations, varying 
from a few feet above sea level to 3,000 ft, and 
where the annual rainfall varied from about 70 in to 150 
in, those growing on an estate in the South Kalutara 
district seemed to me to be giving the most satisfactory 
results, This estate is about 100 ft ibove sea level, 
with an annual average rainfall of over 100 in, with 
soil composed for the most part of a gravelly loam. 
The trees had been grown from seeds sown to stake 
at 12 ft apart, and were ready for tapping after the 
seventh year. The amouut of dry rubber obtained 
from the trees tapped on this estate last year averaged 
1 lb per tree. 
TAPPING AND CURING. 
The methods employed in tapping these trees, and 
in curing the product, were prictically ideutioal at 
each estate that I visited. A row of V-shaped incisions 
is made in the tree, 3 iu or 4 in apart at about 6 ft 
from the ground with a wedgeshaped instrument. The 
sides of the V are usually 5 in or G in long, and the 
width at the open end about 4 ia. The shape of the 
instrument is a check against cutting deep enough to 
penetrate the wood of the tree, which is a most im- 
portant point to guard against. At the base of the 
V, a small round tin cup, 3 in or 4 in wide, and about 
4 in deep, is fixed by pressing the thin edge of the 
cup into the bark to catch the latex, which commences 
to flow immediately the tree is cut, and generally con- 
tinues flowing for several hours. 
On the following day a second row of similar inci- 
sions is made, about 6 iu. below the first, and so on 
each day until the base of the tree is reached ; a second 
series of similar incisions is then made inside the first, 
commencing with the top row, and so on each day 
until the base of the tree is again reached, when a third 
and sometimes a fourth series of inner Vs is made, 
but the number depends largely upon the size of the 
first incisions, and the size and age of the tree. Tap- 
ping is performed during the early morning, and late 
in the afternoon, as the heat of the sun seems to check 
the flow of latex. 
The methods adopted in oaring the rubber are of the 
simplest nature imaginable. As the latex is brought 
in from the field it is poured into enamelled iron 
sancers, about 1 feet in diameter, and 2 inches deep, 
and left until the rubber coagulates, which usually 
happens by the following day ; but it it is desired to 
hasten the process, a few drops of acetic acid are added. 
This plant is not, however, commendable, as rubber so 
treated is always rated at a lower value in the market. 
The coagulated rubber is subjected to pressure by 
rolling. Great care is taken to keep the rubber free 
from dirt and other imparities during these operations. 
After the pressed rubber has been drained, it is usually 
submitted to a little artificial heat, to hasten the dry- 
ing, and then spread out to dry in a well-aired room. 
Properly dried rubber is an amber colour all over, and 
quite translucent. Rubber so cured fetches about 4s 
per lb in the market. 
RcBBER FROM Pejiba, ZANZIBAR. — A usw item ap- 
pears in the list of exports from Pemba, Zanzibar ; 
#141 worth of rubber was exported. The Consul 
^ jilpro like 12,000 aores,— Ed, 2".^. 
remarks : The rubber in question came from the Crown 
lands situated in the northern part of the island, and 
was gathered from wild rubber vines. I may mention, 
in connection with the subject of rubber, that Mr Bnrtt 
of the Friends Industrial Mission in Pemba, recently 
imported and planted upon the mission shamba, at 
Banani, some thousands of seedlings of Para rubber 
trees. I am glad to say that most of those seedlings 
have done well, and are at present quite healthy- 
looking. 
Profits of Rubber Growing. — Mr George Cnllen 
Pearson, Pusbla, Mexico, writes as follow to a con- 
temporary :— Last year, when in London, I had sent 
me from the plantation a sample of rubber from three 
year old trees. The trees were only very lightly tapped, 
but sufficient rubber was obtained to enable me to 
present a sample on which a cxuotation could be made. 
It was valued by the same firm of brokers at 23 8d, and 
pronounced thoroughly marketable. I do not present 
this as a precedent to be followed, but it is interesting 
as showing that even at the early stage of the tree's 
growth clean and careful preparation will produce a 
rubber which commands a price considerably over that 
yielded by mature trees when ignorantly and slovenly 
handled. 
It is regrettable that statements should be irrespon- 
sibly made, disparaging an industry which will 
certainly become a source of wealth to those who give 
thought, care and patience to its development, by 
anyone who has not studied its methods and is mani- 
festly unacquainted with the principles which make 
for success. For my own part, I am more than satisfied 
with the growth and prospects of my own enterprise. 
Let us takD the case of a man possessing 100,000 trees, 
and put the yield at the seventh year at 1 lb only — I 
believe this to be below what the result will actually be. 
Let U3 put the price of good, clean, sound robber at 33 
per lb, which my brokers inform me it is quite safe to 
assume will be its value. The result would be £15,000 
sterling for the first year, which would be doubled 
certainly by the ninth year, an income for which I for 
one am quite content to work and wait. — India-Eiibber 
Journal. 
FISHING ON THE NILGIRIS. 
(From d Cor respondent. J 
It is some thirty years ago since trout were first 
introduced to the iNilgiri streams, and we hear 
of their liaving been subsequently seen in the 
Pykara river. For a long time not much was 
done until the time of Mr Rhodes-Morgan 
and Major Grant v. c. The latter was inosD 
enthusiastic on the subject, and during the time 
that he was in charge of the fishing operations, he 
stocked the Dodabetta and Marliamund reser- 
voirs, the Snowdon ponds and Burnfoot lake, the 
Avalanche, Pykara, Emerald Valley and many 
smaller streams with trout. These unfortunately 
were all either Sabno fario or Salmo Leven- 
ensis. Trout have been seen and caught in the 
Dodabetta reservoir, in Burnfoot lake, Snowdon 
ponds and in the Avalanche river and its 
tributarie.3. All of these have been S. fario. It has 
been remarkable that whatever time of the year 
the fish were caught, the results were the same, 
i.e., that the female fish were always in spawn, 
whilst the male.? were never in the corresponding 
condition requisite for breeding. Reports at varied 
intervals have been received that small trout 
have been seen, but it is much to be feared that 
it was not the case, as no g.ame watcher has ever 
seen one, neither have any of the fishing members 
of the Nilgiri Game Association, although they 
have made frequent excursions for that purpose 
alone. Another fact which lends colour to the 
opinion that .5. fnrio does not breed here, ia th^^ 
