OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1914. 13 



39337 to 39340— Con. (Quoted notes by Dr. V. A. Argollo.) 



and clay. As to quality, the Jequie is the worst, for it has resins and less 

 elasticity. Growers who planted M. dichotoma succeeded badly because the 

 growth of trees is extraordinarily variable. Seedlings from the same tree show 

 an extraordinary variability of leaves and growth. M. dichotoma requires at 

 least 6 years, as a rule, before tapping. The best variety for plantations is 

 M. piauhyensis, for it gives the best rubber, and can be tapped at 3 years 

 (even at 2 years under good conditions). AVith low prices of manigoba rubber, 

 manigoba can only give profits if labor is very cheap, not exceeding 0.3 milreis 

 (16 cents) per clay. Manicobas will not stand frost. (I have seen some severely 

 injured in Sao Paulo by slight frosts in coffee districts.) Manigoba requires a 

 rainy season in summer. The M. heptaphylla and M. dichotoma are found in 

 parts of the State of Bahia on the other side of the chains of mountains (hat- 

 divide the State in two climates. Between the mountains and the sea the rains 

 are during winter, and on the other side, from the mountains to the Rio San 

 Francisco, the rainfall is in summer. Manigoba grows in the second zone if 

 planted, but does not give much rubber nor good quality, as Villa Nova planta- 

 tions show, although the trees have the best appearance. (Villa Nova is on 

 the mountain that divides the climatic zones of the State. In the mountains 

 you have rains in summer and neblinas (fog rain) in winter.) In the mani- 

 goba. districts there are heavy rains during summer for 4 to 6 months ; such 

 i*ains may last for 10 days, day and night. There are no rains during the dry 

 season, and from time to time there happens a dry year and summer rains 

 fail (about once in 10 years). In our State people who have manigoba forests 

 or plantations are investing in cotton, because the low price of rubber does not 

 give enough profits to pay for the tapping of trees. Manigoba will not stand 

 stagnant water. I am going to gather for you seeds of the three varieties. I 

 do not know whether any of them can be successfully cultivated in the States, but 

 if you have the proper climatic conditions — rains in summer, no frosts, and soil 

 from decomposed granite (red clayey sandy or sandy clayey) — I think you 

 will prefer the small M. piauhyensis" 



39337. Manihot glaziovii Muell. Arg. 



"Manicoba Ceara. These small seeds with dark colorations are quite 

 different from other varieties. This is the commonly known manigoba 

 for the first time tapped. It gives a good rubber and is tapped on the 

 bark that is naturally exfoliated, which makes the tapping and collect- 

 ing of clean rubber difficult." 



39338. Manihot dichotoma Ule. 



"Manicoba Jennie. Seeds long, of which the largest are quite typical." 



39339. Manihot piauhyensis Ule. 

 "Manicoba Piauhy." 



39340. Manihot heptaphylla Ule. 

 "Manicoba Sao Francisco; round seeds." 



39341. (Undetermined.) 



From San Jose, Costa Rica. Presented by Mr. Carlos Werckle, through 

 Mr. Ad. Tonduz, Department of Agriculture, San Jose. Received October 

 21, 1914. 



