249 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1897. 
atmospheric moisture greatly promote the growth of FF. elastica. \ Like most 
other fig-trees it is easily raised from seed. A tree of Ficus elastica is tapped 
in Assam when twenty-five years old. After fifty years the yield is about 40 Ib. 
‘of caoutchouce every third year, and lasts till the tree is 100 years old. The 
collected sap is poured into boiling water and stirred until it gets firm; or the 
sap is poured into large bins partly filled with water. The fluid caoutchouc 
mass after a while floats on the surface, when it is taken out and boiled in 
iron pans after the addition of two parts water, the whole being stirred con- 
tinuously. After coagulation, the caoutchouc is taken out and pressed, and, if 
necessary, boiled again; then dried and finally washed with lime water. The 
.sap from cuts in the branches is allowed to dry on the trees (J. Collins). 
Dr. S. Kurz states that Ficus laccifera (Roxburgh) from Sihet is also a 
caoutchouc-tree, and that both this and F-. elastica yield most in a ferruginous 
clay soil on a rocky substratum; further, that both can bear dryness, but 
like shade in youth. Several other species of tropical figs, American as well as 
Asiatic, are known to produce fair caoutchoue, but it is questionable whether 
any of them would prosper in extra-tropical latitudes. Nevertheless, for the 
conservatories of botanic gardens all such plants should be secured with a view 
of promoting public instruction. To give some idea of the vastly-increasing 
extent to which rubber is now required, it may be stated that at Wetzell’s fac- 
tories in Miinden and Hildershein alone during 1884 were produced 100,000 Ib. 
of surgical articles; 100,000 Ib. valves, buffers, and washers; 150,000 lb. 
hose and belting ; 200,000 lb. insertion sheets and truck packings; 250,000 
dozen of fancy coloured balls, irrespective of other rubber articles. There is no 
question that the existing market for caoutchouc is a good and rising one; the 
question is, Will it continue good? Immediate returns from any India-rubber 
producing industry, except that of tapping indigenous trees, is out of the 
question. A period of at least six years must elapse, after planting, before any 
return could be expected, even if Manihot Glaziovii were the plant selected to 
operate upon. With Wicus elastica, Von Mueller tells us, twenty-five years 
must elapse before the tree is fit to be tapped, even in Assam, and it is 
improbable that this variety would mature sooner, or even so goon in 
Queensland as in that country; but, be that as it may, I elastica 
is a tree that recommends itself not only to private persons possessed 
of suitable lands and who may be desirous of leaving their children 
a valuable heritage, or perhaps enjoy it themselves in later years, but to the 
nation (if I may call Queensland a nation). There should be no party feeling 
in our Legislature in regard to the desirableness of planting some of the 
highly favoured portions of Northern Queensland, belonging to the Crown, 
with groves of Micus elastica. Many of the islands on our coast offer 
favourable localities for this enterprise, as most of the land thereon is not 
available to the ordinary selector. Our legislators could do much more than 
lay the foundation of future natural wealth, by planting considerable areas of 
this desirable tree. I have been led to consider that private enterprise in the 
direction of planting rubber-producing trees would be a failure economically, 
except under such conditions that the trees would assist some other 
agricultural proceeding, as break-winds for coffee estates or the like. 
Certainly a number of rubber-producing trees should be planted in all school 
grounds, where they will grow, not only as an ornament, but as a direct 
educational object. Among others indigenous to Queensland, it is probable 
that the tree known as “ Alstonia,’ Hicus macrophylla, and Ficus rubicinosa 
would yield rubber; this may be said of Wrightia milgar, &c , but it would 
appear that no special investigation has been hitherto made into the capabilities — 
of any of our own caoutchouc-yielding trees. 
Mr. Musgrave, the secretary for the Government of British New Guinea, 
has very kindly forwarded to me some specimens of rubber obtained in ,the 
district of Rigo, some thirty miles to the eastward of Port Moresby. The 
rubber seems to be of excellent quality; it is firm, of a light-brown colour with 
a shade of pink, and seems to have been collected with considerable care. The 
