Gums, Resins, 



394 



May, 1910. 



I was puzzled. Bat, on reflection, I 

 arrived at the conclusion that this 

 phenomenal productiveness was due to 

 the great depth of the bed of sand, 

 probably 50 feet, which issued moisture 

 from its huge mass on the principle of 

 capillary attraction," 



The supreme importance of soil is 

 further exemplified by the following 

 extract from the India-rubber World:— 



"After having travelled through all 

 the desirable rubber regions in Central 

 America and Northern South America, 

 I am satisfied that suitable tropical 

 forests which can be had now at a low 

 price — often for a few cents an acre— 

 present an opportunity for the profit- 

 able employment of capital such as has 

 seldom been offered in the world's 

 history, but the serious point is to secure 

 the proper land. Those who acquire it 

 will have more than they expect, but 

 natural rubber lands are not to be had 

 by simply making a chance location. 

 Though the tree will grow almost any- 

 where, it is only the most favoured 

 spots that will yield those spontaneous 

 returns that are so very profitable. It 

 is fair to state that if people go to 

 taking up tropical forests promiscuously, 

 ten will be disappointed to every one 

 who secures a prize." 



In the remote district in which this 

 tree grows, the vegetation may be des- 

 cribed as a scrub forest. The Manicoba 

 tree throughout certain areas intermin- 

 gles with the stunted trees and forms a 

 prominent part of the forest at an ele- 

 vation of 1,000 to 2,000 feet above sea- 

 level. In the forest there are compara- 

 tively few species of trees that exceed 

 a medium size. The country is gently 

 undulating, with low intervening hills. 

 The whole region presents the aspects 

 of a semi-desert, consequent on the 

 character of the soil, which is non-pro- 

 ductive of luxuriant tropical vegetation. 



Throughout this dreary tract of 

 country, embracing many thousands of 

 square miles, miles at a time are desti- 

 tute of inhabitants. Running streams 

 of water, so impressive and emblematic 

 of fertile regions, are few and far be- 

 tween throughout the district. At dis- 

 tances, usually many miles asunder, the 

 configuration of the land admits of natu- 

 ral reservoirs which, aided by simple 

 devices, supply the wants of man and 

 beast. Thus, the water is collected at 

 the bases of hills and sloping lands where 

 cavities are formed. Wild animals, in- 

 cluding insects, are also rarely encoun- 

 tered. In this connection it is worthy of 

 note that cultivated Manicoba trees 

 appeared to be practically immune from 



insect depredations. Ants sometimes 

 overhaul the young leafage, and a young 

 tree is sometimes snapped off at the top 

 by a stray deer. 



Another noteworthy feature of this 

 scrub forest may be indicated, The foli- 

 age is scant and lacks profuse develop- 

 ment in conformity with the stunted 

 tree vegetation, but it is accompanied 

 by innumerable growths of thorns and 

 spines that contest supremacy with the 

 foliage itself. I have travelled on horse- 

 back through many thousands of miles 

 of tropical lands, but never through any 

 part having a tithe of these formidable 

 weapons. The sterility of the region is 

 mainly accountable for this evolution of 

 thorns. Most of the species become 

 thorny, and the thorny species are re- 

 produced superabundantly. 



Notwithstanding the severe droughts 

 characteristic of this region (probably 

 the rainfall does not exceed 25 inches a 

 year), droughts lasting six months, and 

 even nine months at a time, many 

 shrubby species of the natural order 

 Malvacece were constantly found in 

 proximity to Manicoba trees. I am inti- 

 mately acquainted with many species 

 belonging to this order in the tropics, 

 and I was surprised to see numerous 

 species flourish under such conditions 

 of aridity. There can be no doubt that 

 this phenomenon is ascribable to the 

 peculiar structure of the soil. Many 

 species of Cacti are interspersed in the 

 scrubby thickets, these being more con- 

 centrated at points where the soil is ex- 

 ceptionally arid. It was curious to see 

 several species of palms, moisture-loving 

 plants, struggling for existence in these 

 uu genial thickets. Half-a-dozen species 

 of native Ficus, fine umbrageous trees, 

 flourish adjacent to settlements. (I 

 thought that Ficus elastica, Rambong 

 rubber, could be grown to perfection 

 here.) Ferns are non-existent, though I 

 saw after riding 360 miles, a few puny 

 plants in a dark ravine. I visited a 

 coffee plantation at about 3.000 feet 

 altitude. This was the only coffee plant- 

 ation on an area of many thousands of 

 square miles. The coffee plants yield 

 very small fruit. At this height fre- 

 quent rains are experienced. And 

 coming from the inland towards the 

 city of Bahia, rains are more frequent, 

 the soil is darker — an ameliorating fac- 

 tor. Tobacco of splendid quality is ex- 

 tensively cultivated here by thousands 

 of small settlers. In juxtaposition 

 Cassava (Manioc), the staple food pro- 

 duct of Brazil, a congener of Manicoba, 

 maize and other products, in patches, are 

 commonly cultivated, and crops are ob- 

 tainable there from a few months after 

 the rainy season. 



