The Socorro chieftain., 1907-01-19
Interesting Letter Oh the Subject
from Prof. WoOten 10 Cover
nor Hagerman.
DOES THE PLANT GROW HERE 7
A Company Has Been Organised 10
Test This Very Important
Matter.


tive to experiments with guayulc
and other rubber bearing plants
Governor Hagermau has received
the following letter from Pro-
fesSor +. o. Wooten. who has
charge OF the botanical expert.
ment station in connection with
the New Mexico College Of Ag-
riculture and mechanic Arts.
AS theSesplants are said to be
growing in certain parts of New
Mexico and as a company has
been organized for the manufac.
ture of rubber from one of the
species the letter is Of general
interest throughout the territory.
1t follows:
Mesilla Park, N. NJ, Jan. Is,
1907.
Hon. Herbert j. Hagerman. Gov
ernor of New Mexico, Santa
Fe New Mexico.
Dear Sir:-your letter concern
ing the guayule plant with the
enclosure was handed to me yes
terday for answer. We have
made no experiments as yet with
any of the rubber plants but l
have been able to get together
some little information concern
ing the plants that are used
for this purpose. The guayule
is a shrub, usually about two
feet high, which grows on lime
stone soils in extreme western
Texas and northern New Mexico.
Its botanical name is "Parthen-
ium argentatum" and the plant
was originally described from Es-
condido Springs, near the pres
ent Fort Stockton, Texas. II
was collected by the scientists of
the original boundary commits
sion. l have never collected the
plant in New Mexico, although l
have looked diligently for it the
past two seasons. | was told by
an agent of the rubber company,
which is handling it extensively
at Torreon, that it grew on the
limestone hills near Roswell.
This plant is said to contain
from 10 to II per cent of crude
rubber, though how accurate
this statement is | am unable
to say. We have a single plant
which came from~-.near Fort
Stockton, growing in our garden.
1t has not vet passed a winter
with us, | am unable to say how
it will get along at this elevation.
It's nearest ralative (Mariole) J
is very abundant on the lime
stone hills all over the southern
part of New Mexico and it is
altogether probable that the
guayule would grow in similar
situations if introduced. l have
in mind to plant some of the
seeds of it this coming season if
an individual, who has promised
to furnish me with the seed,
keeps his promise. There is
another intirely different plant
which grows somewhat abund-
antly in northern New Mexico
and southern Colorado which is
said to contain rubber. and which
l have been told is used BY a
rubber company in Buena Vista.
Colorado. This plant have
seen in some considerable abund-
ance between Chama and TERRA
Amerilla and is probably one
which grows'in Colfax county.
Ii is low herbaceous perennil
which the Mexican sheep herders
OF that region call "pinque" the
botanical name is "Hymenoxys
fioribunda." / have letters from
the chemists of the American
Crude Rubber company at Buena
Vista, asking concerning the
distribution Of this plant in New
Mexico. They were attempting
to find seed bearing plants from
which to procure seed for the
propagation of the plant.
The two species of plants are
not particularly closely related
although they belong in the
same family; and are very diff
erent in appearance. II is hardly
likely that the Colfax county
plant is the lbuayule of Mexico,
since its Texan stations seems to
be the northern limit OF its
natural distribution. What ex-
periments in cultivation will
reveal is yet to be ascertained.
| shall be glad of any inform