• i76 
This beetle not only eats the shoot or growing point but com- 
pletely tunnels out the tree hollowing it to the base. This we have 
never seen here. R. ferrugineus never attacks the base of the 
tree as this insect is said to do, nor is there any fear of its entering 
the trunk by wounds made by the tree-climbers. It invades the 
holes made by Oryctes rhinoceros but it more often attacks the^shoot 
without requiring any assistance from wounds, of any kind. 
Another Rhynchophorus is figured and described as attacking the 
tree which seems more to resemble R. ferrugineus. 
Two other species of weevil afe also described, which apparently 
chiefly attack trees already damaged by the other larger species. 
H. N. R. 
“Rubber Cultivation as an Investment.” 
*A shilling pamphlet by the Editor of the “India-rubber Journal”, 
and published by the Rubber Plantation Development and Estates 
Agency in London, gives an account of cultivation and preparation 
.and uses of rubber, as well as calculations as to profits and valua- 
tion of estate* and an usefifl section on How to read . a- Rubber 
cultivation Prospectus. The pamphlet is one which any one can 
read with profit short as it is. It is of course chiefly for investors 
and is certainly wefl suited for their needs. It contains a number 
of pictures showing cultivation methods, tools, etc., but some of the 
latter are fast going out of date. Spiral tapping, and the short 
taps are pretty well things of the past and perhaps few now use 
the Bowman and Northway knives, and pricker. However, this is 
of little importance as the book is a guide rather to investment 
than cultivation. The figures as to cost and profit are very 
moderate anct give a very fair idea of what a planter or investor 
stands to gain. 
H. N. R. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
In the “Tropen Flanzer” for March, 1907, appears an account of 
Para-rubber in the Botanic Gardens., Singapore, by Dr. R. 
SCHLECHTER, under the title Uber Hevea Braziliensis in Singapore. 
It gives an account of growth, appearance of the trees, tapping, etc. 
“ Le Caoutchouc et la Gutta-percha” is a French Journal 
published monthly dealing with rubber and gutta-percha chiefly 
from the view of the manufacturer. It. is edited by M. A. D. 
ClLLARD, and contains articles by Mr. JUMELLE, PERRIER de 
Bathe and other authorities on rubber. 
H. N. R. 
EARLY FRUITING OF PARA RUBBER. 
Visiting the now extensive rubber plantations at Castlewood, and 
Mount Austin on the Tehran river in Johor, Mr. Bryce showed me 
