3 



GUMS, RESINS, SAPS AND EXUDATIONS. 



The World's Rubber. 



A MEXICAN CASTILLOA RUBBER PLANTATION. 



We have already referred to the fine La Zacualpa rubber plantation in 

 Mexico, of the Hidalgo Plantations Co., and now we have received farther parti- 

 culars about it in an interesting pamphlet entitled " Rubber : what it is and how 

 it grows," by the general manager of the company. This is the second edition 

 of the pamphlet (which is illustrated from photographs), and in his foreword 

 the author says, " Since the first edition was issued, rubber has advanced in price, 

 with every prospect of its going higher, and the attention of the business world is 

 more than ever turned to this profitable industry. This book is dedicated to the 

 young people of our public and private schools, with the hope that the matter it 

 contains will be found interesting as well as instructive." 



The first part deals with rubber generally, but here we only quote some 

 particulars about La Zacualpa estate, which show how a big rubber estate in 

 Mexico is run and give information of use to planters of Castilloa elastica in 

 Ceylon, India, Assam, &c. : — 



LA ZACUALPA RUBBER PLANTATION. 



La Zacualpa rubber plantation is, without doubt, the foremost of its kind 

 in Mexico, and for depth of soil, requisite rainfall, systematic drainage and 

 intelligent management has not its equal in the world. It is situated between 

 the towns of Huistla and Escuintla, about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and 

 near the Pan-American railroad which is to connect Tapachula with the Teliuantepec 

 railroad at San Geronimo. This road lias already reached Tonala, and will be 

 pushed through to completion under a most favourable concession from the 

 Mexican Government. The planted trees are easily accessible at all points by 

 avenues running for miles ; seven of these have already been named, as follows: 

 Harrison avenue, Van Court avenue, Alicia avenue, Butler avenue, San Carlos 

 avenue, La Reina avenue, Santa Helena avenue. These are crossed by streets that 

 are numbered, and the visitor can ride for miles through groves of healthy rubber 

 trees, the branches of the older trees arching overhead. At the present writing 

 some 8,000 acres are planted. 



Castilla Lactiflua.— In a letter received from Mr. O. F. Cook of the Agri- 

 cultural Department, Washington, he says :— " You will doubtless be interested to 

 know that I have recently described the Soconusco rubber tree as a distinct species, 

 under the name, Castilla lactiflua. The Castilla of the Soconusco District of the 

 State of Chiapas (" C. Lactiflua "), is peculiar in having the complemental inflor- 

 escence flattened and with a broad mouth; it is very similar to the primary, 

 except in the smaller size. The specific name alludes to the fact that the milk 

 of the tree flows freely when the bark is cut, so that it can be collected in quantity 

 and coagulated by improved (creaming) methods, instead of the rubber being 

 harvested wholly or partly by pulling the ' scrap ' (burucha) from the gashes in 

 which it has dried." 



The Department (or County) of Soconusco, in the State of Chiapas, one of 

 the twenty-seven States forming the Republic of Mexico, is the natural home of 

 the Castilloa elastica, or Mexican rubber tree, as proven by the great number of 

 wild rubber trees which grow spontaneously in its forests. In their wild state they 

 grow tall and lank, reaching a height of over fifty feet and a diameter of twelve 

 to eighteen inches. 



