MEMORANDUM. 
51 
The nearest approach to this would he found in some parts of 
Ceylon, which, as regards temperature also, would appear to offer 
to the Brazilian Heveas a most congenial climate. In Malabar, 
Travancore, and on the southern Burma coast the distribution of the 
rainfall over the year will be apparent from the following data, 
which I have mainly extracted from Mr. Glaisher’s report upon 
the Meteorology of India. 
Cananore. 
Cochin. 
Quilon. 
Mergui, 
Cool season 
_ 
_ 
- inches 
2*0 
4*2 
2*9 
7 
Hot season 
- 
- 
17*5 
23*0 
21*9 
20 
Rainy season 
- 
- 
j> 
84*9 
61*0 
43*9 
90 
Autumn 
- 
- 
jj 
18*1 
16*8 
17- 1 
48 
Total 
- 
- 
* » 
122*5 
105*0 
85*8 
165 
6. So much is clear that the southern part of the western 
and Burma coast has a climate which is likely to suit the 
requirements of the Caoutchouc yielding species of Hevea, and it 
is not impossible that eventually these trees may be found to 
accommodate themselves to a wider range with regard to tem- 
perature and humidity. It will therefore be well at once to make 
special arrangements to obtain a supply of plants, and of seeds 
also, in case they should be found to retain their vitality sufficiently 
long. This is a subject which I would beg to recommend to the 
attention hf the Government of India and of His Grace the Secretary 
of State for India in Council. Mr. Mann has communicated to me 
a detailed monthly price current of the London rubber market for 
the period from 1857 to 1866, from which it appears that the price 
of fine Para was Is. 7 d. per lb. in 1857, that in 1866 it had risen 
to 2s. 6d. on the average, and Mr. Collins now informs us that the 
present rate is 3 s. Id. per lb. It appears certain that the demand 
for superior kinds of Caoutchouc for the rolling stock of railways 
and other purposes will increase considerably, and it will in every 
respect be advantageous to produce in India an article so useful 
and valuable as Para rubber. 
7. In the second place, attention should be paid to the introduc- 
tion of the climbing Apocynaceous plants (Vahea sp.) of Madagascar, 
which yield the excellent article, which, according to Mr. Collins, 
