Ceara Rubber is derived from a small tree usually (in Ha- 
waii) not exeeediug 25 to 30 feet in height. Manihot Glaziovni 
Muell. Arg. This tree is a native of southern Brazil. It grows 
on hot desert-like sandy plains and along the granitic ridges 
in a region devoid of running streams and with only a sparse 
cover of desert shrubs and low trees. The mean annual temper- 
ature of this region ranges from 82° to 90° F. The rainy sea- 
son resembles that of Hawaii in that there are only occasional 
rains during the wet months from Xovember to May, or June, 
but differs from Hawaii in that the rainy season comes in sum- 
mer. Although the tree is at its best in this hot desert country 
it extends inland to the foot-hills, where the rainfall averages 
about 100 inches and where the night temperatures often fall 
to 60 c F. or less. Like Castilloa elastica, the Ceara tree re- 
quires good drainage and never thrives in wet or swampy soils. 
Ceara rubber trees will grow in a very wide range of situa- 
tions. It makes an extremely rapid growth in Hawaii, thriv- 
ing from sea level up to 2,500 feet on both the dry and wet 
sides of all the islands. 
The tree is being largely planted in all tropical and sub- 
tropical countries. 
The seeds are about the size of small plum pits and mottled 
like castor bean seeds. When planted they take a long time to 
germinate, unless the hard, stony outer coating is filed or 
abraded. Plant the seed where the tree is to grow either at 
irregular intervals, if in gulches or along stony ridges or 
other waste land, or if tillable land is to be used plow 
and prepare the whole field, or plant in a hole, as is often prac- 
tised in the case of bananas. The distance apart should be 
from 6 x 10 to 12 x 15 feet, which would give from 240 to 
726 trees per acre. If tillable land is used it will pay to culti- 
vate and fertilize. On gulch, mountainous and waste lands 
the weeds and grass must be cut out and a space hoed around 
the foot of each tree as often as necessary. 
A number of Ceara rubber trees were planted in 1893 on the 
land now occupied by this Station. A tree standing alone near 
the Tantalus road in the upper forest in the midst of a clear- 
ing, and which has been somewhat spasmodically cared for is 
about 40 feet high with a trunk 10 inches in diameter. Other 
trees planted along the trails and absolutely neglected for 12 
years, overgrown by lantana and over-shadowed by Eucalyptus 
are now little more than 12 to 15 feet high with a trunk the 
size of a man's finger. So it pays to take care of trees even 
