146 



visitor can ride for miles through groves of healthy rubber trees, 

 the branches of the older trees arching overhead. At the present 

 writing some 8,000 acres are planted. 



CASTILLA LACTIFLUA. 



In a letter received from Mr. O. F. Cook, of the Agricultural 

 Department, Washington, he says: "You will doubtless be in- 

 terested to know that I have recently described the Soconusco rub- 

 ber tree as a distinct species under the name Castilla lactiflua. The 

 Castilla of the Soconusco District of the State of Chiapas ("C. lac- 

 tiflua"), is peculiar in having the complemental inflorescence flat- 

 tened and with a broad mouth ; it is very similar to the primary, 

 except in the smaller size. The specific name alludes to the fact 

 that the milk of the tree flows freely when the bark is cut, so that 

 it can be collected in quantity and coagulated by improved 

 (creaming) methods, instead of the rubber being harvested 

 wholly or partly by pulling the 'scrap' (bunic/ia) from the gashes 

 in which it has dried." 



The Department (or County) of Soconusco, in the state of Chia- 

 pas, one of the twenty-seven States forming the Republic of 

 Mexico, is the natural home of the Castilloa elastica, or Mexican 

 rubber tree, as is proven by the great number of wild rubber trees 

 which grow spontaneously in its forests. In their wild state they 

 grow tall and lank, reaching a height of over fifty feet and a dia- 

 meter of twelve to eighteen inches. 



As far as known the trees are long-lived, and increase their 

 output of latex yearly until as many as twenty-five pounds of 

 crude rubber have been taken from a single tree. It is only within 

 a few years that attention has been called to the cultivation of 

 this tree. During the years 1889 and 1890 a grove of some 5,000 

 of these trees was planted on La Zacualpa, a plantation in the 

 above Department, which trees are now (1905) on an average, 

 eighteen inches in diameter and forty feet in height, and are 

 yielding about two and one-half pounds of rubber to the tree. 



They stand about 400 to the acre, and are in prime condition. 

 These are the trees referred to by Mr. O. F. Cook, Bulletin 49, is- 

 sued by the United States Department of Agriculture, as follows : 

 " The planted trees at La Zacualpa abundantly demonstrate the 

 practicability of rubber culture." 



The successful production of rubber and growth of these trees, 

 combined with their present healthy state, has proved the fact 

 that Castilloa elastica can be easily cultivated in its native habitat, 

 with large profits. Cultivated trees are raised from the seed, and 

 begin to yield milk during the sixth year from date of planting. 

 The trees have no natural enemies, as by reason of the quantity 

 of resin and albuminoids contained in the milk, they are not mo- 

 lested by worms, insects, birds or animals. 



Owing to the successful conditions noted above, this plantation 

 has been extensively developed, and under the care of expert rub- 

 ber cultivators about 3,000,000 rubber trees are growing vigorously. 

 The cultivation of rubber is a new enterprise, calling for the most 



