260 
assuredly impressed with the fact that there is a marked difference 
between the climate m Sicily and that in the true rubber zone He 
^I^Tt rth r y T r ?“ onto « uestions o f rainfall, tempera- 
tuie and humidity— factors he previously ignored in his otherwise 
satisfactory prospectuses. I have very distinct recollections of one 
illuminating prospectus in which the profitable cultivation of Hevea 
brasiliensis was fore-casted in an area over 25 degrees from the 
equator where the rainfall was about 30 inches and the air “ keen 
diy, with occasional frosts.” Even to-day there is deplorable laxity 
displayed in many documents appertaining to the cultivation of rubber- 
yielding species in African and American territories; many rubber 
investors do not appear to know that for each species tlik-e l a limited 
range of climatic factors under which each plant can be grown. Even 
in the smaH but productive island of Ceylon there are very many 
thT ^nhW h f ^ would , be ^possible to profitably cultivate any of 
vet SrVni kn °p ” \° th<3 s ® ienfcifio and commercial worlds : 
yet Paia, Ceaia, Castilloa, Eambong, Puntuniia, Hancoruia, and other 
lubbei tiees are known, and vines of Landolphia, Clitandra, Eorstero- 
nia, Ciyptostegia, Ureeola Parameria and others capable of yielding 
n the trT dlst j[cts, paying quantities of rubber, abound 
m the tropics. The Para rubber plant, known for its hardy character- 
Cevlon There 1 ' ° f aa 7 ta * Ion ; T °? ly be grown over a s “ a " area in 
Ceylon. Theie are already indications that many parties in other 
countries, have over-estimated the possibility with Hevea brasiliensis 
some lew having been bold enough to advise that their planted properties 
shall be partly abandoned, even though the estates are in the middle of 
the rubber zone and are occupied with Para trees several years old It 
s hoped that the mistakes of the past will not be repeated ; they would 
m5* 1 "r* rS 'T U ™ ,,aue caution before supplying 
capital foi propositions similar to those referred to * 8 
t0ur by Hei ’ berfc Wright, India Rubber Journal, 
(India Rubber Journal , May 1908.) 
RUBBER PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS. 
The following interesting letter from a planter in Tavov, Burmah 
appears m a recent issue of the “ Ceylon Observer”.— * ’ 
Dear Sir, The following may prove interesting — (i) After mv 
planting m June I went over the remaining 10,000 or so plants (Para 
rubber) in the nurseries and pruned all the “double headers” there 
^rbelow^hlemimd 1 ! 10 1 ach A root S 1 t ° ck * Most of these yere cut off 
roots wpi’p ni t- l R j i GVe ii ^ number of plants, too, with twisted 
from H>p ^ vnnM d f 0 f Wn i b - 6 ^ ^^° W T the tW1St ’ hoping they w0uld send U P a sho °t 
fiom the loot left, which, I may say, they have done. I obtained 509 
cuttings, about 250 of which had small fibrous roots, but none had 
very much roo development. These were all put down in a nursery 
i 6ar bu ? g;dow ^ carefully looked after. This occurred in August 
ii) Als^-n A m r,S?f f hn f 1 -r G ? 93 esfcablished Plants all looking well. 
( ) A so m August last a family of porcupines raided me, and in three 
