109 



grained. The pores are rather large and numerous, the rays fine 

 and brown, obscure. Weight S. 18 lbs. to 22 lbs. 8 ozs. A good 

 useful wood for light work, and its beautiful smooth silvery ap- 

 pearance makes it suitable for cabinet work. 



Microstemon Velulina, Engler. " Shinge." 



A big tree 70 to 80 feet tall wood whitish brown produces a 

 damar. 



Semecarpus affvelutina, Sulumah, Kumbal Bunang. 

 About 40 feet tall, used in building. 



CONNARACE/E. 



All are climbers except some small trees known as Ellipanthns, 

 E. Griffithii, Hook fil. is a slender tree about 30 feet tall, with light 

 fawn coloured wood fine grained, with rather small scanty pores, 

 rays fine and broad mixed and fine concentric lines. A soft wood 

 only good for poles and rafters. Weight 42 lbs. 9 ozs. 



PARA RUBBER IN THE STATE OP AMAZONAS. 



The following recent interesting and valuable Report by Mr. 

 Consul Temple, on Para Rubber at "home" will no doubt be read 

 by planters here with great interest: — 



In Brazil several kinds of laticiferous trees exist from which 

 rubber is manufactured. In the State of Ceara the Manihot 

 Glaziovii ) locally known as the manicoba, is fairly extensively 

 worked, and considerable attention is being paid to its cultivation. 

 In the State of Maranhao the Hancornia sveciosa, or mangabeira, 

 is beginning to give results. These trees, however, are unim- 

 portant compared to the Hevea Brazi/iensis, or seringueira, to 

 which the Amazon Valley owes its present prosperity. 



The Hevea Brazil 'iensis'xs found scattered through the forests 

 that clothe the banks of the Amazon Kiver and its tributaries. In 

 some parts it is much commoner than in others, and for no appa- 

 rent reason. Very large tracts of forest are to be found where 

 it does not exist or is very scarce. It is generally met with in the 

 swampy parts of the forest. Owing to the lack of trusworthy data 

 on the subject it is not possible to state with certainty the pro- 

 portion of Hevea compared to other trees existing in the forest. 

 However, for districts where it is fairly plentiful, and for areas 

 of 1,000 acres or more, about one tree to every 2 acres may, I 

 think, be taken as a fair estimate. 



'1 he Hevea Braziliensis does not strike the eye amongst the 

 other innumerable varieties of trees to be met with in the Ama- 

 zonian forests, and is often difficult to detect. A peculiar glisten- 

 ing of the trifoliate leaves and the whiteness of the bark serve as 

 a guide to the practised eye. I he tree grows to the height of 70 

 to loo feet, and has, as a rule, when full grown, a girth of from 5 

 to 7 feet at a height of one yard from the ground. The trunk is 



