12 
causes less harm to the trees, and ensures larger and quicker profits, 
but on the other hand, it remains to be seen whether the sap of the 
young trees mentioned will produce as good a rubber of equal 
elasticity and resilience as that of the older trees which have arrived 
at maturity, and whether ultimate injury will not have been caused 
to these young trees. Ed. 
THE REWARD FOR A METHOD OF 
EXTERMINATING TERMES GESTROI. 
A reward of five thousand pounds was offered in April tqoo for 
the best method of exterminating the destructive pest, Termes Gestroi 
in plantations. The difficulty lay in reaching the underground nest 
from the tree attacked with any smoke or liquid which would 
reach and destroy the insects in the nest. 
hv t£ 5 “ mmittee t0 e * a . min0 the applications sent in were elected 
by the Government, the Director of Gardens, the Director of Agri- 
culture m the Federated Malay States and the Chairman of The 
Planters Association. 
As might beexpected a considerable number of applications were 
sent in from all parts of the world. In many cases, ordinary 
insecticides were recommended or methods in use for destroying 
other species of termites were suggested, the applicants having had 
no acquaintance with the Ter, res Gestroi or its somewhat exceptional 
habits. In one or two cases even magical processes were advised 
A number recommended the use of a machine which had for some 
tmie been in use ,n the Peninsula and had been invented elsewhere 
and which is more or less effective, but was of course not a new 
invention in the sense that was required. ✓ 
The applications were carefully considered by the Committee 
and it was decided that none were suitable for the reward, which has 
now been finally withdrawn. 
THE EXHIBITION LECTURES ON RUBBER. 
The lectures on rubber delivered at the Conference held in con- 
nection with the International Rubber Exhibition in London in 
September, 1908, have been published in a neat book form bv the 
Internationa! Rubber and Allied Trades Exhibition, 75 Chancery 
Lane, London, for the price of 10s. 6 d. Mr. S. D. Spence has edited 
!hat P f"r C °" ,ainS aU the PaPerS read and the di ^ussions 
t . T°' e f ?™ Sa m0st y a . luable and interesting contribution to 
the literature of rubber, and is well worth reading by every one 
interested in rubber, whether planter, manufacturer or shareholder. 
