caoutchouc oe indiarubbek (Para). 53 
well, where the rainfall ranges between 50 and 200 inches. It is 
a hardy plant, and experimental cultivations in dry hot dis¬ 
tricts with irrigation have already been commenced in Ceylon 
and elsewhere. 
The trees grow from 6 to 10 feet in height every year for the 
first few years and attain a height of 80 to 90 feet within thirty 
years. During the first few years the growth is mainly in length, 
and the rapid increase in girth, varying from 4 to 6 inches 
per year, is most noticeable after the trees are a few years old. 
Young trees, which have had their terminal buds removed by 
thumb-nail pruning or by the knife, have a tendency to throw 
out lateral branches and thus give rise to an increase in foliage; 
the growth in height is thereby checked and that in circum¬ 
ference increased. The plant is propagated mainly from seeds, 
though cuttings can be used. The seeds or plants are planted 
at from 10 to 20 feet apart according to local conditions and 
the objects in view. They are frequently interplanted with 
shade or wind belt trees, the most popular species for these 
purposes being Erythrina lithosperma and Albizzia moluccana. 
Each of the young rubber plants or the whole estate must be 
protected by fencing, otherwise they may suffer from the 
attacks of rats, hares, porcupines, pigs, deer, cattle, &c. 
Draining is very essential in the swampy patches and is, of 
course, beneficial on all estates. Holing on as liberal a scale 
«s possible is practised. The Para rubber tree is cultivated 
as a single product or in association with cocoa, tea, and coffee ; 
subsidiary catch crops, such as bananas, lemongrass, citro- 
nella, ground nuts, cassava, chillies, &e., are also cultivated 
in various countries. Though the plant grows best in good 
Boils it is a noteworthy fact that this species thrives in soils 
relatively poor in physical and chemical properties. The 
leaves are very rich in potash, nitrogen, and lime, and may be 
turned into the soil for manurial purposes. 
Tapping .—The latex is obtained from the trunk of the tree 
by making incisions and conducting the exudations to a recep¬ 
tacle. Over a dozen forms of patent tapping knives have been 
