283 
an inch through which had been used as props to support other 
plants had thrown out shoots and begun to grow as readily 
as such cuttings of Angsana and Erythrinas do. 
Abnormalities in Para rubber trees . — The capsule of the Hevea, 
like that of most Euphorbiacea contains thiee seeds and is three- 
lobed. One fine tree in the Botanic Gardens, however, produces 
a large proportion of four and even five-lobed fruits, containing 
four and five seeds respectively. A curious variation in the form 
of the leaf in young plants was seen at Patalmg and elsewhere 
in Selangor. The lobes of the leaves instead of being oblanceo- 
late were remarkably long, almost linear and narrow. 
In big trees which have been cut or broken down it very often 
happens that the leaves produced on young shoots are of un- 
usual size but generally of the ordinary shape. 
t 
Soils. 
Recently Mr. Willis wrote to ask for samples of the soil in 
which the Para rubber trees were growing in the Botanic 
Gardens, with a view of having them analysed. He kindly sent 
me a copy of the analysis by Mr. Hughes. It is well known that 
in this soil the trees have grown remarkably well, and this ana- 
lysis may help to determine the very best soil for this cultivation, 
so with his permission I append it. When compared with the 
ordinary clay soils of this part of the Peninsula it will be noted 
that there is a much larger percentage of organic matter contain- 
ing nitrogen, and a corresponding diminution in silica and iron. 
The ground from which this sample was taken is low-lying and 
damp, water occurring about a foot below the surface. It was 
evidently originally swampy jungle, which being cleared was 
put under indigo till, in 1884, the land was taken over by Go\ em- 
inent, and the Rubber planted. It has never since it was under 
indigo been manured, but, a certain amount of manure, or salts 
derived from it may have been washed down from beds higher up 
on the hilh Earthworms are tolerably abundant where it is 
not too wet and termites are almost absent. With respect to 
the lime which is rather more abundant than m most of our soils, 
I note that the soil is so deficient, that the small spiral snails 
(Stenoeyra), are reduced to nibbling the dead shells of a species 
of Helix in order to supply themselves with the necessary lime 
f . their shells. 
Analysis. 
Composition in the air dried condition : 
Water (lost @ 212° F.) • • 
Organic matter and volatile combustible 
Substance (containing nitrogen)— 
Oxides of Iron 
Alumina 
Lime 
. . 6.288 
. . 27.541 
.. 3-198 
. . 8.526 
.272 
Carried over 
45>825 
