THE HEVEA RUBBER TREE IN THE AMAZON VALLEY 
49 
In the Acre district many trees were found in fruit, but not many of 
the fruits were fully ripe. Where/the seeds were falling, as was shown 
by the open carpels on the ground, it was often very hard to find more 
than a few seeds. This is partly because of the distance to which 
the seeds are thrown when the fruits burst, so that they scatter over 
a considerable area and are hidden by the carpet of leaves and under- 
growth, and partly because of the liking which deer, pigs, and other 
animals have for the seeds. The seeds are generally considered 
poisonous, but do not seem to affect these animals. 
Table 12 presents the measurements of seeds from various regions. 
The most striking thing about the seeds first collected in the Madeira 
region was their small size. They are on the average very near the 
size of the smallest seeds found in Sumatra by the writer (17) and by 
Sprecher (39). It is possible that their small size indicates that 
they were borne on very old trees. It is frequently said that seeds 
borne by old trees are smaller than those from young trees. It seems 
that no one has ever determined the facts, so far at least as Hevea 
seeds are concerned. The writer has not had an opportunity to 
make any study of the matter, but scattered observations lead him 
to believe that there may be a difference in this respect between young 
trees and really old ones. 
Table 12. — Measurements of Hevea seeds from the Amazon Valley 
Locality, number of 
tree, etc. 
Igarape do Soldanho, 
Matto Grosso: 
No. 7 
Average. 
No. 
Average. 
No. 11 
No. 18. 
Average. 
Sena, Bolivia: 
No. 2 
Average. 
No. 3.. 
No. 10. 
No. 11. 
No. 13. 
No. 20. 
Dimensions (mm.) 
Length Breadth ™ ck 
21 
19.5 
20 
20.5 
19 
19.5 
19.9 
21 
20 
19.5 
21 
20.5 
21.5 
21.0 
22.5 
22 
22.3 
31 
26.5 
29.5 
25.5 
f 21.5 
23.5 
22.5 
21.5 
21 
23.5 
22.5 
2-3.5 
{ 22.5 
Average j 22.4 
96522°— 26 4 
16 
17 
16.5 
18.5 
18.5 
18 
18.3 
21.5 
19.5 
21 
23 
19.5 
19.5 
20 
20.5 
18.5 
18 
21 
20.5 
21 
22 
20.5 
15.5 
15 
15.5 
15 
14.5 
14.5 
15.0 
12.5 
12 
12.5 
12.3 
15.7 
15 
14.5 
14.8 
18.5 
19 
18 
16.5 
17.3 
Locality, number of 
tree, etc. 
Museu Goeldi, Para: 
No. 1. 
Average. 
No. 2. 
Average. 
Dimensions (mm.) 
Length 
27 
26.5 
27.5 
25.5 
25.5 
25 
26 
25 
25 
20.5 
23.5 
23.5 
26 
24.5 
22.5 
22.5 
24. 
25 
25.5 
27.5 
26.5 
29 
26 
27 
26.5 
27 
27.5 
26 
26 
27.5 
26 
25.5 
25.5 
26 
27 
26.5 
24.5 
24.5 
23.5 
26.2 
Breadth 
21.5 
23 
24 
22 
23 
24 
21.5 
23 
20 
20 
20 
22.5 
22 
20 
19.5 
21. 
20.5 
20 
20 
20.5 
21.5 
21 
20.5 
20.5 
20.5 
21 
20.5 
22 
20.5 
20.5 
19.5 
21 
20 
21 
19.5 
19 
19 
20.3 
Thick- 
ness 
20 
18 
19.5 
20 
19 
18.5 
20 
19 
19 
16 
16 
16.5 
19 
18 
15.5 
15.5 
18.1 
17.5 
16 
17 
17.5 
19 
17.5 
17 
16.5 
17 
16.5 
17 
16.5 
17 
16 
17.5 
17 
16.5 
17.5 
18.5 
18 
17.5 
16.5 
17.1 
