468 
The flow of latex irrespective of age increases with the size of the 
tree and the best test of cultivation is a satisfactory increment of 
growth, which should average not less than three inches per annum 
from trees of twelve inches in girth to the fully developed tree. To 
obtain such increment it is a matter of the first importance that the 
trees are placed sufficiently wide apart so that the roots do not 
intermingle while the trees are small, as when once this takes place 
their growth is impeded. The increment of growth is more governed 
by moisture or humidity than richness of soils and trees not closer 
than 20 feet apart with suitable intervening catch-crops for the early 
years must of necessity represent the best final result for the reason 
that without a fair average increment of growth, bark development 
is too slow and the bark becomes hard and the tree hide-bound and 
the mauufacture and separation of globules of caoutchouc from the 
latex is only partial. 
In the possibility too of fungoid diseases catch-crops are no 
mean safe-guard. The idea of planting the trees too closely at first, 
to be thinned out later is a very dangerous one, as was pointed out 
in our first report. 
Conclusion. 
Of pests and diseases there is nothing special to report, The 
fungoid disease Fomes semitostus although not eradicated has not en- 
croached. A plague of slugs has been disposed of by planting various 
catch-crops among the young trees. 
In drying rubber the highest market prices have been obtained 
although we have had to work without the aid of machinery. On 
this subject we shall be in a better position to comment by the time 
of next report when the most suitable smoke for drying has been 
obtained by further investigation. The work carried out for the 
period under review has been pioneer work and we have endeav- 
oured to shew by comparison through experiments the actual facts' 
which occur and when all the variations of the tree have been 
reduced to order die physiological explanations will no doubt 
follow. 
H. N. RIDLEY, 
R. DERRY. 
