320 
method of renewing the incisions was only tried on a single day 
and it is 1 think, quite possible that the difference in yield in favour 
of the method of making fresh incisions each day, was <Tie to 
some extent to climatical conditions. Personally, I have found 
that the yield is generally much above the average on dull or 
cloudy days, or if there has been rain the previous evening or 
during the night preceding the tapping. Even had the results 
been slightly in favour of making new incisions each day, I think, 
I should still advocate the renewal of the old incisions, for with a 
limited tapping area it is to the owners interest to interfere with this 
as little as possible or in other words to economise the available 
tapping surface. 
This question of the renewal of incisions is an important one and 
one which I commend to the earnest attention of Planters, and it * 
is to be hoped that they will be induced to try both methods over 
a considerable area for a definite period and to record the results. 
The behaviour of different trees in responding to the vvouud-effect 
is very remarkable but as it is impracticable on a large estate to 
studv the idiosyncrasies of each individual tree, a general rule 
must be followed applicable to the majority, and it . is only by 
making experiments on an extensive scale that the best method 
can be determined. 
RUBBER PLANTING IN ASSAM. 
Considerable interest is at present being shown in the planting 
of rubber on Estates in Assam, though it appears as if planters had 
not fully realised the enormous profitableness of the undertaking.' 
To say that the venture is very much more paying than tea-growing 
or coffee-growing would perhaps be saying too much at once, but 
that it compares more than favourably with either of these two 
occupations cannot be doubted for a moment. For example in one 
particular only it will be realised how favourably is the comparison 
and that is that the rubber industry can never suffer from over- 
production when one comes to consider the enormous and still daily 
growing demand for this material. To every manufacture of the 
present day rubber in one form or another seems to be necessary. 
The commonest West African rubber fetches £200 per ton at home 
while the Para rubber of South America reaches the ruling price of 
£400 a ton. About two years ago the Government of India, ob- 
viously forseeing the advantages accruing from the plantation and 
production of rubber, started the cultivation of Para rubber in the 
Southern extremity of Lower Burma known as Mergui and also on 
the adjacent King Island, A year prior to the action of Govern- 
ment, however, private enterprise had also launched into the trade. 
In 1899 a Yorkshireman (Mr. W. S Todd) livingat Amherst, near 
Moulmein, started a plantation of Para rubber and lias now fifty 
acres fully planted with [4,009 trees which evvn at this early stage 
have developed splendidly and give great promise of bringing Mr. 
TODD ill another five years a very ample return. So that it is 
estimated when all the plants in Burma being to yield Europe will 
