450 PETon : 



It is worthy of notice that the tree casts its seed at the same 

 time of year both on the Orinoco and Amazon, altliough the wet 

 and dry seasons are reversed in the two valleys. It would be 

 interesting to note whether the seed continues to fall at the same 

 time of year in their new home in India. 



The rainfall varies considerably in different districts where the 

 Hevea are found. In some districts the year is nicely divided 

 into wet and dry seasons, each of about six months' dvu-ation. 

 In others, it rains more or less the year round. In such districts 

 it is more difficult to collect the caoutchouc profitably. If the 

 stem of the tree be wet when it is tapped, the milk spreads over 

 the surface of the bark and is lost. Again, if a shower should 

 come on before the milk is collected from the cups, and it become 

 mixed with water, it will not congeal, and so is also lost. 



The range of temi3erature in the indiarubber cotmtry is from 

 about 73° to 88° throughout the year ; on the lower Rio Negro 

 it increases in the afternoon to 100°. 



From what has been said, it may be seen that the main part of 

 the rubber mvist be collected during the dry season, although the 

 " ciringeros," who live near their " ciringals," or indiarubber 

 walks, improve theu* opportunity by tapping their trees whenever 

 fine days occur during the rainy season. The " ciringero " 

 occasionally gives his trees a rest, but the trees are always tapped 

 excessivel3^ It is astonishing to what a degree they wiU stand 

 tapping. I have seen large trees apparently none the worse, 

 further than tliat they were somewhat disfigured by the knarled 

 apjDearance of their bark, the owner of which assured me he had 

 tapped for twenty years successively, but then he tapjDed them 

 himself and had an interest in their preservation. . The same trees 

 scattered their fruit in abundance. An industry more in accord- 

 ance with the character of the South American it were difficult 

 to find, the labour so small and yet so remunerative. I have 

 myself collected 10 lb. of rubber per day, tapping 70 or 80 trees 

 of various size. An experienced Tapuyo Indian can collect much 

 more. If such be the case in the woods, where the trees are 

 scattered and much time is necessarily lost in getting from one 

 tree to another, what will be the profit of a well-arranged planta- 

 tion of these trees under good supervision ? In the " igapo," or 

 low lands off the rivers, flooded during the rise of the waters, there 

 is a spurious kind of Hevea. It is called by the natives " ciringa 

 do igupo " or " barigordo," from its habit of growing with a 

 bulg(id stem. The seeds of this species are much longer and 

 larger than tliose of the true rubljer. . The milk apjK-ars to be 

 worthless. 



When the native has discovered for himself a district in wliich 

 " firiiiga " tn^'s are suffici(!ntly numerous and near together, 

 he first (;onn<'ct8 them together by cutting a " picado," or path, 

 with his bush knife. Having thus discovered their relative 

 bearing, he next straiglitens and clears out his paths, endeavouring 

 at the same time to take in as many trees as possible in each path, 

 and to make all the jtatlis eonverg<' to a certain s]iot where he 

 has put up liis " ranclio " or " barraca.' This done, and having 



