170 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1914. 



in Ceylon and the East, made a trip to the wild rubber lands 

 of the Madeira with the view of ascertaining whether or not 

 more up-to-date methods could be used for the handling of 

 the crude product. Another series of tests was made in 

 September of this year, but it was stated, after these were 

 completed, that such methods as are used in the East could 

 not be adopted in Brazil. 



It is impossible to say just how long the slump in the rub- 

 ber market will continue, but unless a change in conditions 

 takes place soon many of these rubber gatherers in Northern 

 Brazil, Bolivia and Peru must certainly starve. 



BULLETIN OF THE MUSEU GOELDI, PARA. 



'T'HE Museu Gocldi of Para, which, under the administration 

 *■ of Dr. Huber and his assistants, has become famous the 

 world over, has recently issued its report or "Boletim," covering 

 the year 1910. It is a comprehensive volume of 340 pages, divided 

 into two parts, the early part dealing with the administrative 

 features of the institution, while the rest — constituting about 300 

 pages — give the results of many of the scientific investigations 

 made by the museum. 



The administrative ofTicials for the year 1910 included ; Honor- 

 ary director, Professor Dr. Emilio A. Goeldi, Berne, Switzerland; 

 acting director and chief of Botanical Section, Dr. Jacques 

 Huber; chief of Zoological Section, Dr. Emilia Snethlage; as- 

 sistant for Zoology, in charge of Entomology, Sr. Adolpho 



MusEL" GoELDi — Administr.\tion Building, 



Ducke. This .group of scientists is supplemented by five technical 

 assistants and by an administrative staff of fourteen persons in 

 various capacities. 



Seven scientific journeys were made by members of the techni- 

 cal staff with important results as to geographical knowledge. 

 During the year under report additional land was acquired for 

 the purposes of the Museum and its annexes, while further recom- 

 mendations are made in the same directions. 



ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN. 

 Several valuable specimens were added during the year, the 

 total number of animals being increased from 680 in January to 

 720 in December. This number included 234 different species, 

 220 of which belonged to Northern Brazil (Para, Amazonas, 

 Maranham. Ceara). 



AQUARIUM. 

 The aquarium was finished during the year 1910, but owing 

 to the glass sides not proving sufficiently strong to resist the 

 pressure of the water they had to be replaced bj' others stronger 

 in character. 



BOTANIC GARDEN. 

 The report states that while the aspect of the garden reflects 

 great credit on those engaged in its conservation the want is felt 



of a scientific assistant. Nevertheless, various notable improve- 

 ments were made, particularly in connection with the opening of 

 new sections to replace the older portions which had been 



\\ .\ihKiAl.l.s ALAK ObIDOS, St.^TE OF PaRA. 



abandoned on account of their sandy and infected nature. The 

 older parts of the garden were devoted to the extension of the 

 rubber plantation. Reference is made to the important collec- 

 tions of orchids and other plants contributed by Commander 

 Simao da Costa and by Sr. Adolpho Ducke. 



At the Experimental Station the tapping was continued of the 

 two groups of rubber trees referred to in the previous annual 

 report — with encouraging results. One group of these trees, from 

 10 to 13 years old, tapped during the months October to ^lay, 

 with a knife invented by the director, gave an average yield in 

 dry rubber of about 13 grams (nearly 14 ounce) per tree per day. 



The Amazonian Herbarium was supplemented by 772 varieties, 

 while the General Herbarium received a contribution of 50 plants 

 gathered in the State of Ceara by Dr. Snethlage. 

 LIBRARY. 



Owing to the efforts of Dr. Rodolpho' R. Schuller, acting 

 librarian, the elements have been partly collected for an "Ama- 

 zonian Library," which will be of material assistance to the 



museum. 



METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. 

 This service has been conducted at the request of tlie Federal 



W ATKRFAij.s Ne.\r Obidos, State of Para. 



and State governments in connection with the National Ob- 

 servatory of Rio de Janeiro. A series of meteorological tables 

 for the year 1910 and two previous years forms part of the report. 



