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Cuttings. — Are very easily made from blanches about as 
thick as the little finger or at least not thinner than an ordi- 
nary pencil. Any thicker or thinner than this usually 
fail. The American method mentioned by travellers of plant- 
ing in water with only the tops appearing Joes not prove very 
successful, not only being inconvenient, but owing to the ir- 
regularity of our rainfall, the water sometimes overflows the 
tops of the plants and at others is insufficient. Cuttings are 
sometimes very slow in starting, but grow fast enough when 
well rooted. They seem to travel with great ease, if kept damp, 
and can be sent considerable distances if packed in damp grass, 
even before they are struck. I have met with but few plants 
which either as cuttings or seedlings have so much vitality as 
Para rubber. 
We have not yet gauged the full capability of rubber produc- 
ing of these trees. One planter, it is stated has recently taken 
not less than seven pounds of rubber, from a ten year old 
tree, nor does the tree appear at all to be injured by this 
drain. 
A circular dealing with rubber cultivation in Ceylon, has re- 
cently been published by the Director of the Botanic Garden 
there. Among other information we learn from it that “while 
the tree will grow at Peradeniya (elevation 1,576 feet) it suffers 
much from cold and grows very much more slowly than in the 
low country.” I do not know of any experiments which have 
been made in the Peninsula as to the altitude at which Para rub- 
ber will grow successfully, but in any case the hill lands we possess 
are not, as a rule, suitable in the matter of soil for this plant, and 
we fortunately ‘possess a very large area of plain country which 
is very well adapted for it. 
“ The area of land in Ceylon suitable for profitable rubber 
cultivation is comparatively small, possibly not more than 
10,000 acres.” The trees, however, in suitable soil, in Ceylon, 
grow apparently as fast there as here. In the Heneratgoda 
garden were 45 trees, about 30 feet apart. They were 
eleven years old, and the girth taken about ft. 5*6 above the 
ground. The largest tree was ft. 7*5 round, the smallest two 
feet. 
Some experiments were made as to yield of rubber which 
showed that trees of about 2 feet mean girth gave in six weeks’ 
tapping lbs. 5'i7 , while a tree nearly 12 years old and 50^ inch 
in girth gave an average of i-|- fb. per annum from its 12th to its 
2 1st year, yielding 1 ft. I 2 f 02. at twelve years, and 3 lbs. 3 oz. 
in its 20th. This yield is really less than has been obtained in 
even younger trees in the Peninsula. 
The circular is well worth reading by our rubber planters, 
who will, I think, agree that both the rapidity of growth of 
trees, yield of rubber, and probable return have been under- 
estimated, at least for the Malay Peninsula. 
