77 
Uaupés river in North Brazil, and reported to be under cultivation 
f 
compared and discriminated (t. 2575). This is the most recent 
revision of the Heveas, but their geographical distribution in each 
cas i additi 
East Peru. One or two species of Micrandra (with simple leaves) 
known as Seriya, and according to Spruce, yield a milk 
containing caoutcho 
It is admitted ids e: chief species yielding the Para rubber of 
commerce is Hevea brasiliensis, Muell. Arg. (Siphonia brasiliensis, 
-B.K.), the Seringa of the Portuguese and the Para rubber tree 
of the English. This is a slender tree ees. a rie y of 50 to 
60 feet, with a circumference near the base of 6 to 8 feet. ze 
leaves are digitate-trifoliate on long dese petioles. 
diclinous flowers are produced in axillary panicles, the female 
larger and terminal. The fruit is a dry capsule splitting into 
three one-seeded pieces. The seeds are round-oblong about an 
inch in length, with a brown polished testa, mottled with dark 
blotches. (Collins! Caoutchouc, t. 1; Hooker’s Icones Plantar um, 
t. 2575, figs. 1-7 ; Siphonia brasiliensis, Haynes Gewache, xiv., 
t. 2 
a report — TEEF to the Foreign Office, by Mr. 
Consul W. A. Churchill (F. O 2140, Annual Series, "Trade of 
Para and district for the io 1800, ‘the following account is 
given of this rubber tree (pp. 25, 2 
“The Hevea tree is not conspicuous, and resembles many other 
forest trees. People have travelled for thousands of miles through 
the rubber region and have lived for years 2 the centres of the 
industry without even noticing it. The new-comer invariably 
expects to see the glossy dark-green euim “of the Ficus, and is 
disappointed with the insignificant appearance of the Hevea. In 
habit it is more like the English = than anything else. It 
pen to a height of upwards of 60 fe 
* The localities where rubber-trees "uina the best are on islands 
and low ground near rivers where the banks are periodically 
me, Ground that is above inde at all times or that has 
no oe e is = so suitable to the tree 
“A peculiarity of this rubber dpdi? is, that it will not grow 
satisfactorily on cleared and open ground. It requires the shade 
of other trees, and still air, from the time that its growth begins 
until it becomes an adult tree. Without these conditions the 
supply of milk is very much affected. In fact, the tree has been 
known to die soon after the clearing of ground around it. 
* No cultivation of rubber trees worth mentioning has been 
attempted in the Amazons region. It is considered useless to 
invest capital in n ar so long as the Amazonian forests 
Show no sign of exhaust 
A very interesting a on the early history of the vue 
industry on the Amazon was communicated by R. Spruce 
