356 
It will be noted that not only is the average weighs per 1000 seeds 
distinctly higher from the untapped trees, but that only one weigh- 
ing of seeds from tapped trees gave a higher total than the lowest 
weighing of the untapped trees. The seeds were collected fresh every 
morning and weighed immediately. The difference is 0.9 lb. per 1000 
seeds or I0 .7 per cent, not quite so great as the Ceylon figures. That 
this difference is entirely due to the extra weight of the kernels, the 
husks remaining nearly constant, is shown by the following test:— 
No. of seeds. Wt. of kernels. Wt. of shells. Total. 
Tapped Trees 2000 10 lbs. 11 ozs. 6 lbs. 4% ozs. 16 lbs. 15% ozs 
Untapped „ 2000 12 „ iy 2 „ 6 „ 4 H 18 lbs. 6 % ozs. 
It will be interesting to see what the difference in germination 
between the two sets of seeds will be, after different periods of 
storage. A series of experiments is in progress to test this point and 
will be reported on later, when complete. 
Kuala Lumpur, L. Lewton-Brain, 
13th October, 1911. Director of Agriculture, 
F.M.S. 
RUBBER fft JAMAICA. 
The Agricultural experts of Jamaica, to judge by tne Annual 
Report of the Department of Agriculture in Jamaica, for 1910 just 
received, have not yet given up hopes of starting a rubber industry 
in the island, as yet. Of Para rubber it is reported that some of the 
trees planted five years ago are now beginning to thicken and some 
fairly good trees are to be found in favourable localities, Castilloa 
however, seems more promising. The results of tapping the Castilloa 
trees in various parts of the island during the past year have been 
on the whole encouraging and in some cases remarkably good yields 
of rubber have been obtained. “ I have estimated ” says the 
Director of Agriculture “ the cost of 100 acres of Castilloa Rubber 
up to the tapping age at ten years as £2,500 to £3,000 with rubber 
selling at 2/6 per lb , the profits should then be £500 to £700 per 
annum under favourable conditions of yield on the 100 acres, with a 
tendency to rise under good management to £1,200 per annum at the 
20th year where suitable lands of proved capacity for the cultivation 
of Castilloa rubber are available. It would appear that the financial 
prospects of a rubber plantation are fairly safe, and though we 
a! tea dy possess other staples such as bananas, cocoa and coconuts 
that offer greater inducements, there appear to be stretches of second 
grade rubber lands in Portland and elsewhere that offer sound in- 
