441 
n. In artifical planting it is found that the rubber grows 
on mounds. Lines are cut through the lorest 
Planting operations. 2Q feet w ; c j e and 70 feet apart from centre to 
centre; in these lines 15 feet stakes are put up 35 ^et apart. 
Round each stake a mound is thrown up four feet high. 1 he base 
of the mound is about ten feet in diameter and they taper to tout 
feet on the top; on this mound the rubber tree is planted, care 
being taken that the roots are carefully spread out before they are 
covered up with earth. To prevent animals pulling the plants ana 
wind blowing them down, they are tied to the stakes. 
10. The rubber tree can readily be propagated from cuttings, 
if only perfectly ripe young branches or shoots 
Cuttings, are used , but the tree raised from cuttings does 
not appear to throw out aerial roots, and, as the future yield of te 
tree probably depends on its aerial root system, it is quesuona e 
whether trees raised from cuttings ought to be used except where 
required only as a shade giver, such as in an avenue. In e 
Charduar rubber plantation, propagation by cuttings was given up 
very early, that is about 1876, the plantation having been com- 
menced in 1873. 
The best time to take cuttings is May and June. 
11, The rubber grows equally well on high land or low land, 
in forest land or grass land, so long as it is 
General. planted on a mound and its roots are not ex- 
posed to the sun. It is a surface feeder, but, as soon as its roots 
appear above ground, they must be covered with fresh earth until 
such time as the tree has formed a sufficient leaf canopy to pro- 
tect itself. 
Report on the results of Tapping operations in 
Charduar Rubber Plantation in 1899-1900, 
No. 164K, dated Camp Dhubri, the 22nd August, 1900. 
From — J. A. McKee, Esq., Conservator of Forests, Assam, 
To — The Inspector-General of Forests to the Government of India 
^throucdi the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Assam). 
In continuation of correspondence resting with this Office 
No. 194K, dated the 3rd October, 1899, I have the honour to 
report the result of tapping compartments 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, etc,, 
of the Charduar Rubber Plantation in the past season of 1899-1900. 
2. An area of 474 acres, containing 6,810 trees, was worked 
over, yielding 4,502 lbs. of clean and dry rubber, 
Area and outturn. as p er detail below, and it should be noted that 
the trees in compartments 3 and 4 were tapped for the second 
year in succession, having been also operated on in 1898-99: 
