BLOSSOMS 



The Castilloa Elastica, or Mexican rubber 

 tree, is between five and six years old when it 

 blooms. Before blooming the tree sheds its 

 leaves. The blossoming season begins in 

 January and continues until April. 



Clusters of small, whitish blossoms first put 

 forth, and three weeks later the tiny petals fall, 

 leaving a little green center which gradually 

 enlarges, and is filled with seed points sticking 

 fast to a round disk. 



The blossoms are as numerous as the leaves, 

 and each one has at least twenty seeds about 

 the size of an ordinary bean. 



When the blooming and seeding time is 

 over the trees put forth new leaves. 



SEEDS. 



The seeds are encased in a shell which is 

 hard while green, but it soon softens into a 

 sticky substance like fish gelatine. The first 

 turning in the ripening process is to a sickly 

 yellow, which gradually changes to a bright 

 red. 



As soon as the seeds are ripe, with the first 

 rains, they begin to fall. This is a busy time 

 on the plantation. The seeds literally cover 

 the ground underneath the trees, and the 

 laborers gather them into sacks and carry them 

 to the nurseries. 



