s food. It also furnishes a useful
fiber.

231. HEVEA BRASILIENSIS.--A tree of tropical America growing in damp
forests, especially in the Amazon valley, which, together with
other trees called siphonia furnish the Para rubber, or American
caoutchouc. The sap is collected from incisions made in the tree
during the dry season, and is poured over clay molds and dried by
gentle heat, successive pourings being made till a sufficiently
thick layer is produced.

232. HIBISCUS ROSA SINENSIS.--The flowers of this malvaceous plant
contain a quantity of astringent juice, and, when bruised, rapidly
turn black or deep purple; they are used by the Chinese ladies for
dyeing their hair and eyebrows, and in Java for blacking shoes.

233. HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA.--This species is known in the West Indies as
red sorrel, on account of the calyxes and capsules having an acid
taste. They are made into cooling drinks, by sweetening and
fermentation. The bark contains a strong useful fiber which makes
good ropes if not too much twisted. It is also known as the
Roselle plant.

234. HIBISCUS TILIACEUS.--A plant common to many tropical countries.
Its wood is extremely light when dry, and is employed by the
Polynesians for getting fire by friction, which is said to be a
very tedious and tiresome operation, and difficult to accomplish.
Good fiber is also obtained from the bark.

235. HIPPOMANE MANCINELLA.--This is the poisonous manchineel tree of
South America and other tropical regions. The virulent nature of
the juice of this tree has given it a reputation equal to that
forced upon the upas tree of Java. The juice is certainly very
acrid, and even its smoke, when burning, causes temporary
blindness. The fruit is equally dangerous, and from its beautiful
appearance is sometimes partaken of by those who are unaware of
its deleterious properties, but its burning effects on the lips
soon causes them to desist. Indians are said to poison their
arrows with the juice of this tree.

236. HURA CREPITANS.--This tropical plant is known as the sand-box
tree. Its deep-furrowed, rounded, hard-shelled fruit is about the
size of an orange, and when ripe and dry, it bursts open with a
sharp noise like the report of a pistol; hence, it is also called
the monkey's di