8 THE WHOLE ART OF RUBBER-GROWING 



the maximum of latex in the tree. The system, 

 however, has serious drawbacks, the chief of which 

 4s the difficulty of bark renewal and consequent 

 ^attack by depredatory pests. The best time to tap 

 Castilloa is the period following the fall of the leaf 

 and just as the new ones are appearing. During the 

 rainy season the latex becomes shy in its yield and 

 is rarely or never visited during that time. Im- 

 mediately the fruit appears then comes the collector, 

 and he is kept busy until the first signs of leaf-fall 

 appear, when the tree is allowed its annual rest. 



The Castilloas possess the habit of shedding their 

 axillary branches wholesale. These fall away 

 neatly leaving a layer of tissue which is, however, 

 quickly covered with bark, so that even the scar 

 becomes scarcely distinguishable. Planted 12 feet by 

 12 feet, Castilloa will always thrive much better than 

 if subjected to wide planting. It is easily propagated 

 from seed, which is raised in nursery beds, the young 

 plants being placed in their permanent position when 

 the seedlings are about six weeks old. Great care 

 must be taken that the tap root, which is larger and 

 more tender than that of the Hevea species, is not 

 damaged in planting. A deep hole wide and long 

 enough to take the whole length of the tap root 

 should be made. In this the delicate structure will 

 find a congenial home, the subsidiary roots being 

 spread carefully near the surface. Planted after this 

 fashion, the Castilloa never falters, but runs away at 

 a great pace, often putting on a sturdy growth in 

 stature of a foot per month for the first year or so. 

 The true Castilloa elastica would be invaluable as 



