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sealed up tin-lined case. The plants were quite dry ere being put in, 
and even the packets were taken hot from the tire. On arrival when the 
case was opened, they were found to be quite wet and nearly spoiled. 
This was evidently due to the condensation of the water enclosed in 
the damp air of the tropics due to the arrival of the case in a cold 
climate with the consequent lowering of temperature. Packed in 
wooden cases which seemed to absorb the moisture to a large extent 
no such damping effects were found. The packing, charcoal, rice dust 
etc., acts probably in the same way in the case of rubber seed packing. 
The article continues giving an account of the germination of the 
seed, and illustrating the bad effects of wrong planting with figures of 
curvature of the radicle even into a complete circle. The causes of 
these malformation are putting the seed down wrong way up, so that 
the root has to make a curve to reach the soil, and too hard soil 
at the point at which the rootlet attempts to enter the ground. 
Most planters realise perhaps that the correct placing of the seed 
in the first instance is of the utmost importance to avoid this root cur- 
vature, which if overlooked may cause a permanent curve in the tap- 
root. A tree of any kind in which this occurs will grow for a consider- 
able time but its growth usually after a few years is checked and the 
tree remains stunted for a few years more when it dies. This is most 
commonly seen in plants grown too long in pots, where the tap-root 
confined in a short space bends on itself. But I have seen fine young 
Para rubber plants taken from the nursery in which the tap-root had 
curved into a thickened club like bend, undoubtedly from the careless- 
ness of the cooly who had put down the seed. The trees about 7 feet 
tall were otherwise healthy and good looking but were really useless and 
only fit for the rubbish heap. 
Nothing of course can be done when the bend is as usual in these 
cases close to the base of the stem, especially after the root has hard- 
ened and become woody. 
The second cause cited by M. Vernet that of the root s being 
protruded at a point where the soil is too hard, and it cannot penetrate 
is also due to carelessness in planting, for the seed, beds should be dug 
over to such an extent that there is no hard ground or stones to turn 
the root tip from a good straight descent. 
Vernet suggests that when the soil is clayey the ground over 
the seeds should be covered with a layer of lalang grass to prevent it 
from being baked by the sun. It is really better to shade in the 
ordinary way with attaps in this case as snails, crickets and other 
objectionable insects find this straw shading very suitable as resting 
places during the heat of the day, and are apt to attack the seedlings 
as they grow. , , , 
The business-like planter is usually careful about Jus seed beds 
and such suggestions are perhaps not necessary for him, but there are 
would-be planters who never seem to think it is necessary to take any 
trouble about seed planting because Para rubber seed germinates and 
grows so readily. I have seen more than one nursery in which the 
seeds were thrown anyhow on to a hot bed of sand in full sun, with no 
shade and no turning over of the soil, with the natural result of a com- 
plete failure, H, N. R, 
