181 
A sample of “ Caucho" exists, in the en of this City, that 
came from the banks of the River Tocan 
It is said that * Caucho" is also ae a near Macapa and 
Mazagao, on the north bank of the River Amazon, near p estuary. 
A recent statistical return on the exports of the State of Pará 
reports that this produce was exported in small piia 
(altogether about 10 tons) from A Vo Hiele Santarem, 
Alemquer and Obidos on the River Amazon. The total shipments 
of “ Caucho” from Amazonian ports aiti to ined 2,000 tons 
annually. 
Monsieur Huber describes the process of tapping as follows :— 
“ The trunk is almost severed in two at a distance of about 3 feet 
from the ground, and the usd. is allowed to fall in such a manner 
that it is supported in an inclined position by its branches, and 
still holds on to the part that ^ ‘left standing. The sap is collected 
and poured into a hole made in the ground, and is coagulated by 
means of the juice of certain local lianas. e ag hd state that 
this is the best method of tapping, and that if t were 
treated in the same manner as the Heveas they ould soon be 
would be injured by incision. This be only an excuse for 
n which might be avoided. However, it 
must be considered that as these trees grow far rom each 
ar apart f 
other in their native state it must be inconvenient, if no 
impossible, to attend to more than one tree at a time. 
Trees that have been tapped in the manner described do not 
survive the operation. In the course of time their places are, no 
ies. taken by young trees that grow from seeds. 
e Amazonian Castilloas are found on elevated land that is 
md the reach of floods, whereas the Heveas thrive best in the 
seb that are periodically inundated z the River Amazon 
I have, &c., 
(Signed) Wat A. CHURCHILL. 
The Marquess of Salisbury, K.G., 
&c., .&c,  &c. 
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW, to FOREIGN OFFICE, 
Royal besa Kew 
SIR, y 23, 1899. 
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the mide of 
letter of May 17, transmitting a copy of Consul Churchill s report 
on a kind of India-rubber e xported from Peru, through Pará, 
under the name of Caucho 
2. Caucho, of which Caoutchouc is peny an sepen reir 
has been hitherto identified with * * India-rubber" par excellence 
th : 
Castilloa. One or more pesn of this s genus produces the ne 
rubber of Central America. In South America Castilloa has been 
