September, 1O09.] 



207 



Saps and Exu datiom. 



The two other varieties, Castilloa 

 Tunu, Henisl., and Castilloa australis, 

 Hemsl., are not so well known. The 

 former is distributed through the forests 

 of British Honduras, Nicaragua, and 

 Costa Rica, but the gum yielded by it 

 does not compare favourably with that 

 of C. elastica, Oervs., though it has uses 

 of its own. C. australis is not widely 

 distributed and has no high character as 

 a rubber producer. 



It may be judged how unpleasant the 

 consequences might be if the wrong tree 

 was planted, as we believe has occurred 

 more than once. When Kew nods, as 

 it once did, confusing Castilloa elastica, 

 Cervs., and Castilloa Tunu, Hemsl., the 

 individual planter must work warily. 



Castilloa elastica, Cervs., occurs in 

 Mexico, San Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa 

 Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and 

 Honduras through an enormous range in 

 latitude. It probably contributes the 

 greater bulk of the Caucho rubber which 

 comes upon the market. 



The exports of rubber (mainly Castilloa) 

 from the following countries is thus 

 stated: Costa Rica 132,387 lb. (190(5), 

 Honduras 68,000 lb. (1905), Panama 238,760 

 lb. (1907). 



Castilloa and Cultivation. 



We received a letter from a corres- 

 pondent by the last mail, in which the 

 effect of wind on Hevea was described, 

 and a remark made to the effect that the 

 wind-blown plants of Hevea were subse- 

 quently attacked by pests. To our 

 surprise we learned that the Castilloa 

 trees on the same estates stood the wind 



better and were free from pests. In the 

 West Indies, where Castilloa is used 

 largely as a shade for rubber trees, the 

 leaves and stems are subject to the 

 attacks of various fungi and insects. 

 Generally speaking, as a separate pro- 

 duct or as one for shading minor crops, 

 it is not regarded favourably in the 

 East. In Mexico, however, matters are 

 somewhat different, and a hopeful view 

 is taken of this species. 



In its natural state it grows best at a 

 low elevation ; above 2,000 to 2,500 feet it 

 grows slowdy. The native method of 

 tapping is to inflict a wound by means 

 of a long machette, and to insert a leaf 

 at the base of the gash. These incisions 

 are made around the tree at a distance 

 of 2 to 2£ feet above each other. 

 Throughout the coagulating and drying 

 processes, the natives do not appear to 

 protect the rubber from exposure to 

 light. Very often the latex is spread 

 out on long leaves and exposed to the 

 sun to dry, the result being that a large 

 proportion becomes sticky. 



The bark of Castilloa elasticais thicker 

 and rougher than that of Hevea, and 

 differs in different parts of the tree. 

 The laticiferous system is also unlike 

 that of Hevea. 



Acreage under Castilloa. 



The Republic of Mexico can probably 

 claim a larger acreage than any other 

 part of the world under Castilloa, it 

 being estimated by one authority that 

 something like 110,000 acres have been 

 planted since 1872. We are informed 

 that there are over a dozen plantations 

 each a few thousand acres in extent' 

 planted with this species. 



OILS. 



SOY BEANS, OIL AND CAKE. 

 Opening for Indian Trade. 



(From the Indian Trade Journal, Vol. 

 XIV., No. 170, July 1, 1909.) 



Rapid development has recently taken 

 place in the trade in soy beans in the 

 United Kingdom and other Western 

 markets. These beans, which are the 

 seeds of Glycine soja, are grown on a 

 very extensive scale in China and Japan, 

 where they are used as food and also as 

 a source of oil and bean cake. The soy 

 bean oil has proved suitable for many 

 manufacturing purposes, and hence the 

 demand for it has rapidly increased ; its 

 price in London is about £21 15s. per 



ton against £21 10s. for linseed oil and 

 £22 17s. bd. for cotton seed oil. The 

 beans when crushed give about 10 to 16 

 per cent, of oil, and the cake, as we shall 

 show presently, is used for feeding: 

 purposes like linseed cake ; while, as a 

 manure, it is said to be particularly 

 useful. Although a comparatively new 

 article of import in England, it is stated 

 that as much as 350,000 tons were im- 

 ported into the United Kingdom this 

 season, and it threatens to interfere 

 somewhat seriously with the Indian 

 ttade in linseed and cotton seed. The 

 value of the beans landed in London is 

 about £6 15s. a ton, whereas cake sells 

 at about £6 5s. The oil, it is said, has 

 not been found serviceable for the 

 making of paint, linoleum or varnish as 

 it dries very slowly ; but it is being used 



