174 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Sept. 1, 1903. 
common sense, is most likely to be the one 
who starts right. For example, one plans to 
plant the Castilloa, It is a soft wood tree, 
a tree that from its physical formation is not 
built to stand high winds, that with its lonf» 
taproot must have a deep, rich soil and well drained 
withal. It is a deciduous tree, which means that at 
a certain time each year it encourages the presence 
of the sun's rays on its trunk and limbs. The pros- 
pective planter should, therefore, pick out land 
that is covered with a ^owth ot soft rather than 
hard wood trees, as the latter points to gravelly soil 
instead of clayey loam. It should be rolling land, 
or at least land that is naturally well drained. It 
should be soil that will give the tree plenty of 
moisture during the dry season and yet that will 
not be soggy during the wet. For a running rule 
there should be at least four feet of drainage soil. 
In the clearing of the land, if there are not natural 
wind breaks, a certain amount of forest should be 
left standing to act as such. Refeaing again to the 
long taproot of the Castilloa, it is said that as the 
tree grows older it often disappears, its place 
being taken by large laterals, 
VISITS TO ESTATKS, 
Our first visit was to 'Ixtal.' By that time 
I was getting to be somewhat of a coKmoisseur 
in rubber trees, and so, after the noon breakfast, 
wa« glad to accompany Mr Adams on a tour of 
inspection. Here were some 250 acres planted to 
rubber, the oldest being four years, the total 
number of trees being about 150,000. The land 
was very similar to that at 'La Ventura' and 
the growth about the same, although in a part 
of the plantation the trees seemed to be a Utile 
taller. Latex flowed from them all abundantly 
and my guide said that he had never found one 
that did not show plenty o^ milk. In discussing 
tliis question Mr Adams told of an Austrian 
scientist who had been in that region and who 
claimed that there were three native Castilloa 
species, only one of which was a rubber producer. 
They ajl looked alike, so he said, and the dif- 
ference in them couid only be detected by a 
careful examination of the cellular structure of 
the leaf. He said further that he uprooted 80 
per cent of his own first year's planting because 
he did not know this. When he finally did get 
the right tree big enough to tap it bled so freely 
that he was obliged to stop the cuts with clay 
else it would have bled to death. We were able 
to assure Mr Adams that this was not credible, 
to which he agreed. 
Our next journey was to ' La Junta,' the largest 
plantation in that district. The estate contains 
some ?,000 acres, of which one half is already 
cleared, most of it planted to rubber. The trees 
are from 7 to 9 feet apart, and looked as if they 
were in prime condition. The orchard numbers 
about 750,000 rubber trees, The oldest of these 
will be two years old nexi July, and average 2'5 
inches in diameter, a foot from the ground, and 
about 7 ft. in height. For help there are from 200 to 
400 men, one half of whom are natives. Perhaps 
here more than any where else has been tried the 
experiment of importing labour, and not depending 
entirely upon the native, who is not at all times 
entirely reliable. 
T looked and inquired particularly for any enemy 
of the " Castilloa," but found trace of none, and 
heard only of an ant that attacks the tree where 
it has been wounded at times, but that only rarely. 
Of the few trees thus attacked, nearly all had 
thrown out woody excrescences that were not only 
protectimg the inner tissues, but seemed actually 
to be crowding the devourers out. So rare is it 
that a tree is thus attacked that the planters take 
no precaution against it. 
NEMESIS OF THE TARANTULA, 
That deadly pest of the Southwest, the taran 
tula, whose bite is certain death to both man 
and beast, has at last found its nemesis in the 
lorm of a small wasplike insect thai is found 
quite numerously in some regions. The discovery 
of a tarantula killer will be interesting news to 
all residents of the Southland. The wonderful 
phenomenon is no more than the black wasp 
witli silvery wings, which is common in this 
locality. Henceforward iie will be known as the 
tarantula killer and v,-ill be looked upon as a 
blessing to mankind by all who are mortally 
afraid of the tarantula. The female wasp keeps 
a close lookout for the tarantula, which keeps 
just as close lookout from fear of the wasp. The 
latter lights quickly on the tarantula, stings it 
once, whicli produces a dtunkan stupor and then 
drags the lifeless victim to a grave previously 
prepared to receive him. It must be remem- 
bered that the tarantula is not yet dead, juet 
dead drunk, but he coils himself into a kind ef 
knot and when safely deposited by the wasp in a 
desired location the victim has a sqjry appearing 
aspect. Underneath the tarantula tiie wasp di"s 
another hole, and in this she makes herself at 
home until she has laid her quota of eggs on 
the body of the tarantula. The warmth of the 
tarantula's body is sufficient to hatch the eggs, 
and in due time the young tarantula killers 
show themselves and the» begin to feast on the 
prostrate body of Mr. Tarantula. The remains 
are sufficient to keep the young wasps in food 
until they are large enough to hustle for them- 
selves. This statement results from close study 
made of the matter by a farmer residing near 
Guthne, who became interested in watching the 
movements of the wasp and kept a close watch 
afterward, learning therefrom the tacts above 
given. This should exempt the black wasp with 
silvery wings from further execution at the hands 
of the human family. - Chicago Ghroiiicle. 
[On enquiry of Dr. Willey with regard to the 
above he was kind enough to write :— 
" Many kinds of wasps prey upon spiders 
which they paralyse in ordei to prepare them for 
the use of the wasp grubs. It is not surprising to 
learn that one specias attacks the tarantula. The 
statement that the ' warmth of the tarantula's 
body is sufficient to hatch the eggs ' requires 
confirmsRion. Indeed the entire story as given 
in the cutting appears rather to lack precision 
and authenticity, although it is quite probable 
that the wasp in question will go for the tarantula 
just as a mongoose goes for a snake."— Ed, T.A,] 
A GUTTA-PERCHA COMPANY, 
There has been some' little excitement in the 
indiarubber trade owing to the discovery in the 
French Congo of a so-called rubber plant, and 
speculation is rife as to the chances of this plant 
