The Tropical Agriculturist The Agricultural Journal of Ceylon October 1929

THE last paragraph of the editorial of the July number of The Tropical Agriculturist promised the early publiction of the report of the Economic Botanist of the Department of Agriculture on the present position of bud-grafting and seed selection of rubber in the East. [...] At the same time it was suggested that I should spend the time between the completion of inspecting the work on rice in Java (about the middle of April) and the start of the Rubber Coference (5th. [...] Bud-grafting may be said to ensure the propagation of a plant without any change in its genetic constitution and therefore the scion of the bud-graft will be a replica of the above-ground portion of the mother-tree and so far as the laticiferous system is responsible for inherent yield should possess the same capacity for yield as the mother-tree. [...] The best method of tapping will have to be determined by experiment but it is certain that the value of the extra rubber produced will go a long way towards meeting the cost of rejuvenation and the loss of revenue whilst the area is out of tapping. [...] After the patch is prepared the bark over the panel is gently pulled away from the top and is held away from the stock while the patch is placed in position and carefully pushed to the bottom of the flap.