40 
70 for the latter. Germination, depends to a very great extent upon 
the length of time that elapses between the falling from the trees and 
the packing for transport, as well as upon the skill in packing, while 
it has been shown that unless the seeds are sown within one week of 
their receipt in this colony their germinating capacity falls rapidly. 
Some shipments of stumps from the East have done fairly satisfacto- 
rily while others have failed.” 
This story of the germination of Para rubber seeds after long- 
travelling possesses some points of interest. The journey is about 60 
days from Singapore to Guiana and considering the short-lined dur- 
ability of the seed the percentage of germination, when carefully 
packed, is satisfactory. 
The most interesting point, however, in the article, is the 
difference between the germinative power of the spring and autumn 
crops. There is a marked difference as will be seen by referring to 
the table, the seed of the autumn crop germinates much better. It 
is possible that this is due to the dryer weather about the time of 
ripening of the autumn crop. The spring crop comes on early in 
the year, just after or during the rains. The seeds are only thrown from 
the capsule during sunshine, and it frequently happens that when 
they are actually ripe the days are dull and wet and the seeds are 
retained in the capsule till the first fine day. In this case they have, 
it appears, a tendency to commence germination in the capsule, and 
even if the radicle is not protruded the earlier preliminary stages may 
take place without any external symptoms. Such seeds, when travel- 
ling doubtless receive a check in growth which causes their death. 
Seeds received from various estates in the peninsula have in many 
cases given extremely unsatisfactory results, few or more in a large 
lot germinating at all. The cause of this is not clear. It is possibly 
due to the trees being young and the travelling power of such seeds 
may be inferior to those of older trees, or it may be due to some effect 
caused by the heavy tapping of the trees. It is, again, possibly due 
to imperfect fertilization from the absence or insufficient supply ot 
flies which fertilize the flowers. Anyway the fact has been very 
marked. — E d. 
THE FIBRE OF THE N !FA PALM. 
Imperial Institute, (South Kensington, London, S.W.) 
Report on “ Nipa ” fibre from the Federated Malay States, by Professor 
Wyndham R. Dunstan , M.A., L.L.D . , F.R.S., Director. 
Regd. No. 35799- 
The sample of Nipa palm fibre which is the subject of this report 
was forwarded to the Imperial Institute by Mi. ^ ai t j 
Klang, Selangor, with letter dated 8th September, 1910. 1 w ^ 
that the palm grows in large quantities in Selangoi a _ 
desired to ascertain whether the fibre would find a mar ev in 
