CAOUTCHOUCS OR INDIARUBBERS (Gastilloa). 43 
i. Cuttings (at least 3 inches long, with a basal portion of old 
wood) may also be taken ; those from lateral branches have 
|f tendency to grow more or less horizontally, so that main 
shoots must be used. 
The tree in its native country inhabits a warm, steamy 
dimate, like that of the low-country of South-West Ceylon, 
and is rarely found above 1,500 feet. The most common 
situations are in alluvial soil at the sides of valleys or on 
low ridges. It needs deep, warm, loamy soil, with plenty 
of water, but does not thrive where the soil is swampy, nor 
in places where there is not good drainage at the roots. It 
grows best where the temperature never falls below 60°, and 
in a district with a well distributed rainfall of at least 70 
inches. The most promising localities in Ceylon are the 
lower mountain districts, such as Matale, Rambukkana, 
; Balangoda, Passara. 
The young plants are planted out during rainy weather in 
holes filled with well prepared sandy, loamy soil. If the 
plantation is of Gastilloa only, they are usually put at about 
12-15 feet apart. The young trees are shaded for a time; 
possibly it would be best if they were always lightly shaded 
like cacao, Gastilloa being a forest tree. It is sometimes 
itself used as a shade for cacao or for other crops. The 
ground is kept clear of weeds and the trees watered in dry 
weather until they reach sufficient size to take care of 
themselves. 
The tree grows fairly rapidly at first, and soon reaches a 
height of 10 or more feet. The largest of the original trees 
at Henaratgoda at six years old was 46 feet high and 26 
inches in girth at a yard above the soil; at ten years old its 
girth was 36 inches, but afterwards it grew more slowly. 
Tapping, &c .—The tree may be tapped when it reaches a 
girth of at least 2 feet or 2 feet 6 inches. After the eighth 
year there will probably be a number of trees in the planta¬ 
tion ready for tapping. 
