584 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March i, 1898 . 
collecting was vigorously carried on, was 80 or 
loo ft. liigli and very damj) and unhealthy, the 
noil full of nioistuie and very rich and fertile. 
The young plants, however, were not often observed 
to glow actually within the reach of the tides, 
but it is evident that they must frequently be 
subject to he partially covered with water. — 
Trimen, Notes on Itnbbcr-yiclding Flants. 
Para rubber was introduced into Ceylon in 
1876. when the young plants obtained from Brazil 
at the expense of the Indian Government were 
planted in Henaratgoda Garden. These are now 
very line trees, with an average height of about 
60ft., and average girth at C ft. above the giound 
of 4 ft. From their seed otlier plantations liave 
been made in the Botanic Gardens, and also by 
the Forest Department. A large <iuantity of seed 
has been sold to private planters since 1886. 
There are about 450 trees in the Botanic Gardens, 
produeing about 100,000 seeils per annum. 
The number of trees on private estates in Ceylon 
is probably about 200 , 000 , of various ages from 
one to twelve years. This number represents 
an area of about 750 acres. 
Climate. — From the description of the climate 
of Para quoted above, it will at once be evident 
that only the wet, low-lying country in the south- 
west of Ceylon is suitable for the growth rf 
Hevea. The best climate is probably that of the 
country lying between Kalutara and Katnapura, 
Whilst the tree will grow at Peradeniya, (ele« 
vation 1,576 ft.) it sutlers much from cold, and 
grow’s very much more slowly than in the low- 
country. Probably about 550 ft. or 6 O 0 ft. will 
be found to be tire maximum elevation for suc- 
cessful culture. The tree is quite unsuited for 
cultivation in the dry regions of the Island. 
Soil.— In its native countiy Hevea is a jungle 
tree usually growing in deep, rich, alluvial soil 
which is liable to be flooded during tlic wet 
■easons. The earliest plantations made in Ceylon 
were therefore made on low-lying laiul subject 
to floods. It was found that if the plants were 
well gvow’n up, flooding did them no harm, 
whereas it was fatal to seedlings or very young 
plants. It W'ould seem, therefore, that what the 
lants really require is a damp soil, and this 
as been borne out by local experience, I'he 
immense level area of the Amazon valley tends 
to prevent floods of any great depth, whereas 
In Ceylon the valleys are narrower, and the water 
may ea.sily rise several feet. Land liable to 
frequent flooding should therefore be avoided. 
Chena land has been tried at Edangoda, hut 
the result has been unsatisfactory ; sandy soil 
also has been found unfavourable to the growth 
of Hevea, and the tree also grows badly where 
exposed to much wind. 
It would appear therefore that the most suitable 
Boil and situation for this tree is fairly flat land, 
at about sea level, with good alluvial soil, pre- 
ferably jungle land, and not sandy. The land 
should not be subject to frequent floods or strong 
winds. 
The area of land in Ceylon suitable for pro- 
fitable rubber cultivation is thus comparatively 
Bmall. possibly not more than 10,000 acres, but, 
on the other hand, this cultivation need not 
interfere with that of coconuts. 
Cultivation. — Hevea forms a moderately tall 
tree, not very much branched. It begins to flower 
at about six years old, but for planting pui'iroses 
the seed of more mature trees (twelve or more 
jeara old) is preferable. 
About February, in Ceylon, the leaves mostly 
turn brown and drop oil', and the flowers soon 
afterwards appear. They arc followed by large 
woody fruits, each containing three seeds, which 
ri]ien in July and August. The fruits open 
explosively, usually in the hot jiart of the day, 
and scatter the seeds to some distance. The 
seed is very large, w eighing about half an ounce. 
It has a hard seed coat, and the interior sub- 
stance is very oily. 
'Jhe seed soon loses its power of germination, 
and ought to be sown within a week of its 
falling from the tree. If it has to be sent on a 
t oyage of nioie than a week, it should be very 
carefully packed in charcoal. Even thus, how- 
ever, the majority of the seeds soon die, and the 
only satisfactory way of sending seeds to,distant 
countries is to plant them in soil in a Wardian 
case and allow them to grow on the way. 
The germination of the seed is very rapid, and 
a long tap r oot is soon ]iroduccd. The seed should 
be sown about an inch deep in well jnepared 
soil, in nurseries, or, if preferred, in bamboo ))ots 
or baskets. They should be keiit shaded and 
watered, and when the young plants are from 
18 in. to 24 in. high they may be planted out. 
Good results are also obtained by slirmjjing, the 
plants being allowed to grow' about 3 ft, Jrigh, 
their taken ujr, and the main root cut across 
about a foot below the ground ; but the method 
of planting out the .smaller seedlings is perhaps 
preferable. 
The plant may also be propagated by cuttings. 
The method employed in the Botanic Gardens 
has usually been to take cuttings near the ends 
of the branches, but further back than any of the 
leaves. Plach cuttin" is about a foot long, and as 
thick as a lead pencil, and is cut oft' at both cuds 
by oblique cuts made just below leaf scar s. The 
cuttings are planted in nurseries in wet earth. 
This method is somewhat precai'ious : sometimes 
nearly all the cuttings grow, at other times 
only a small proportion. 
Tire seedlings, stumps, or cuttings should be 
jrlauted out during rainy weather in juepared 
places. Holes should be dug as in the case 
of cacao, and filled with good soil. A little 
manure will often be advantageous. The young 
plairts require to be lightly shaded for a time 
luitil they are established, and probably for the 
first two or three years they will grow’ the 
better for a certain amount of shade, such as 
would be given by narrow belts of trees running 
through the plantation. These belts should be 
arranged to act as wind belts, as the Hevea is 
easily injured by wind. By the time tire trees 
a! e about three years old they will have grown 
up to a height of about 25 ft. or 30 ft. and form 
their own shade. 
Various distances apart have been tried in 
jdanting Hevea. The younger plantation at Hena- 
ratgoda Garden has the trees planted 12 ft. apart. 
Their average girth is now about 30 in., and they 
require thinning. It will not do, however, to con- 
clude from this, as is sometimes done, that the 
trees should be originally planted more than 12 ft. 
apart. On the contrary, the best results have 
been obtained by planting 8 or 10 ft. apart each 
w'ay. The trees thus form their own shade and 
keep down weeds, and a proce.ss of natural selec- 
f;ioii of the best trees goes on, and the more 
weakly and dwarfed trees may be gradually 
thinned out in subsequent years. Another ad- 
vantage of close planting is that the trees grow 
up straight without forming many branches low 
down, and this very greatly facilitates tapping, 
