553 



ciated by those who have eaten them. The kernel is 

 crisp and firm, and has not the oily taste of the Brazil 

 nut of commerce. 



The Brazil-nut tree is not cultivated anywhere for 

 profit. The fruits are collected by the natives in the 

 forests of the Amazons, where it grows in abundance, 

 together forming groves, according to Bates (" Naturalist 

 on the Amazons.") He says it is one of the biggest trees 

 in the Amazons forests, and as the forest trees there 

 often attain the height of 1 50 to 200 feet, it is probable 

 that the Brazil-nut grows to at least 200 feet. The trees 

 of Lecythis, which I saw in the forests of Pernambuco 

 were truly gigantic, both in size and in circumference, 

 and it is said that Bertholletia is as big. 



The Brazil-nut is not a tree which would bring a 

 large profit to a planter, even of fruit trees, as its growth 

 is slow and the fruiting not very heavy, considering the 

 cheapness of the nuts brought from the Brazilian forests, 

 but it is a handsome tree, and when it does fruit it does 

 so quite heavily enough to supply the needs of the planter 

 and many others. 



H. N. Ridley. 



AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR COAGULATING 

 THE LATEX OF DYERA COSTULATA. 



(GETAH JELUTONG). 



In the Singapore Botanic Gardens, we have only 

 five trees of this species — excepting two specimen trees 

 on the lawns which are left intact— and these all are 

 below medium size, so that the available material for 

 experiment is very small. In view, however, of improving 

 the crude (wet and vile smelling) Jelutong rubber — 

 better known as Pontianak — the experimental work so 

 far accomplished may be of interest. 



