534 
The other machine is called an elasto-durometer, and it is used 
for determining the elasticity of a sample of rubber arid also its 
hardness and flexibility. The elasticity is determined by the fall of a 
ball of chilled steel, upon a sample of the rubber. The height to 
which the ball rebounds determines the elasticity. The apparatus 
can be used for stone, metal, wood, leather, or any other substance 
assuming that it can be laid flat. It can also be used to measure the 
hardness of the sample by the aid of a steel needle which is pushed 
slowly into the sample; by measuring the depth in millimetres into 
which, wiih a given pressure, it penetrates, a certain method of 
measuring the hardness of the rubber may be obtained. — Ed. 
PLANTING DISTANCES. 
The manager of the Bukit Rajah Estate reports that the best 
results have been obtained in tapping from trees 2/ feet by 27 feet. 
In crowded fields the bark does not renew so thickly, and the trees 
do not yield so much latex. Trees at Sungei Binjai planted wide 
yielded 4 lbs. each, working out to 300 lbs. per acre.— Ed. 
A LARGE FICUS ELASTICA. 
A beautiful photograph of a very large Ficus elastica growing in 
forests at Tapanuly, Sumatra, is given in the Bulletin de l’Association 
des planteurs de Caoutchouc, Aug. 1909, p 120. The height is said to 
be about 80 metres and it takes 36 men to surround it with their arms 
outstretched. Its age is estimated at a hundred years. The tree is 
growing in dense forest, and has apparently started as a seedling on 
some forest tree at a great height from the ground. It gives a very 
good idea of the natural growth of the plant. -Ed. 
DATE OF TAPPING IN BRAZIL. 
According ‘to the French Bulletin above quoted, the period of 
tapping in the Amazon seems somewhat irregular. In the districts 
of the furthest affluents' of the big river, say from the Peru border, 
tapping commences in May, but in other parts of the State of 
Amazon as later in July and August. The trees flower from July to 
September, that is to say, towards the middle of the tapping season. 
Full and accurate statistics of this are still required. — E d. 
RUBBER IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 
The subject of rubber planting came up at the meeting of the 
United Planters Association of Southern India and Mr. T. C. Parker, 
of Travancore, gave some information on the subject. The industry 
was in its infancy, but there were no less than 20,000 acres under rub- 
ber in Travancore and Cochin. They had commenced tapping and 
got the full price for the rubber. Besides this area there were 
4,000 acres in Coorg, 2,000 in the Nilghiris, 2,000 in Anamallays, 250 
in Shevaroy and 2,000 in Malabar. — E d, 
