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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 6

Interchange of Plants and Seeds

Interchange of Plants and Seeds.

The receipts have been, during the past year, 4,803 plants of all kinds and 2,337 packets of seeds from 239 contributors. They were distributed as follows:—
Ward's Cases. Packets of Seeds. Stove and Greenhouse Plants. Herbaceous Plants. Trees and Shrubs. Number of Contributors.
Britain 298 657 1,718 1,146 141
Continent 540 156 241 98 17
Asia 17 456 272 18 23
Africa 5 175 172 21
America 3 468 332 106 281 22
Australia and New Zealand. 6 400 146 15
31 2,337 1,735 1,543 1,525 239

Cinchona.—

1. Ceylon.—

The cultivation of Cinchona in Ceylon has had, during the past year, to struggle with serious difficulty owing to unfavourable weather. Mr. Morris writes (February 14th, 1878):—

"At Hakgalla the Cinchona plantation has suffered very severely from the unusually wet season. Nearly all the large trees, 20 or 30 feet high, and about 12 years old, are dying; the stock plants and about 300,000 cuttings have been killed. We hope to recover ourselves in time, and by opening fresh nurseries, there is every possibility of being able to meet the demand for plants. The private plantations have suffered very severely. Great care is required in selecting the aspect, soil, and exposure to which the plants are likely to be subjected. If these are carefully considered and we have moderate seasons the plantations are in a fair way to succeed. On the other hand, if we have many seasons of continuous wet weather like the last the plants will suffer very seriously.

It is satisfactory, however, to find that the bark of the trees which were cut down by the planters on showing signs of bad health "sold in the London market at prices little, if anything, below those obtained for the finest unbroken strips, peeled from perfectly healthy" trees. Most of such trees are sending up shoots again.

It is possible that it may be necessary in Ceylon to modify the practice of Cinchona cultivation. It is now stated there "that returns can be obtained from a Cinchona plantation at almost as early a date after planting as from coffee or tea. For the longevity of the trees a climate distinguished by moderate wind and rain and open and deep soil may be necessary." From more recent accounts Cinchona planting seems to have recovered entirely from the temporary discourage- page 10 ment of the early part of last year, and to now bid fair to add enormously to the wealth and prosperity of the island.

2. Introduction of Columbian Barks into India.—

The Indian Government sent Mr. R. Cross to New Grenada for the purpose of bringing to England, for eventual transmission to India, plants of the species of Cinchona, yielding the "Soft Columbian" and "Hard Carthagena" barks of commerce. He arrived in this country in March of last year with five wardian cases containing 400 plants of the former and 200 of the latter. The Hard Carthagena included as many as six different kinds. The barks of all were, however, very carefully analysed by Mr. Howard, the well known quinologist. With regard to the Soft Columbian known as "Calisaya of Santa Fé," Mr. Howard reported that the bark analysed, and which was taken from the rejected cane-like shoots brought home by Mr. Cross, "was of the very best description, and such as indicates the probability of a much larger production of alkaloid in the bark of more mature and developed" trees." This bark yielded 6.24 per cent, of alkaloids, of which 3.25 per cent, was quinine and 1.90 was cinchonidine. Mr. Howard considers that "if the young plants can be safely conveyed to India and established there it may not improbably prove second to none."

Of the "Hard Carthagena" bark plants the only one which Mr. Howard considered worthy of attention was the kind from Coralis Inza, in the Magdalena Valley. This yielded 4.75 per cent, of alkaloids, of which 1.88 was quinine and 1.18 was cinchonidine. "If a free grower, as I think would be the case, it might be well worth naturalising in India. The bark has met with a ready sale in commerce."

The plants were placed under Mr, Cross's charge at Kew, where every facility was afforded him for establishing and propagating them. On the 16th of October of last year he reported as follows to the Under Secretary of State:—

"On arrival in this country in March the plants of the 'Calisaya of Santa Fé,' carried all the way from the banks of the Caqueta River, were thought to be in a weak state. I am glad to state that, although the collection is now somewhat reduced, there are in all 40 plants more or less growing and rooting, and which I am convinced will soon become good established plants.

"The majority are from cuttings, but there are some also from original imported root pieces growing also, although these in general seemed unwilling to take root freely. The dry weather of summer was not so favourable for the development of growth, but the chief cause was the diminished vitality of the root pieces which were carried overland so great a distance. When it is considered that these were dug up and brought from the damp forest, whence rise one of the most important tributaries of the Amazon, across the eastern Cordillera down to Popayan, where in order to check the growth they were alternately covered up and exposed for nearly three months, then carried down to the hot Cauca Valley to the Pacific, after which there was a month of sea voyage, I think the result will be deemed rather remarkable."

"Of the other sort from the Magdalena valley (which caused the delay of the three months referred to) there are only 12 growing plants, but some of these are good."

At the close of the winter Mr. Cross reported that the collection of Santa Fé plants was reduced to 15 page 11 plants, and that of Hard Carthagena to 10. He considered, however, that the fate of both sorts was still quite safe.

3. Jamaica.—

Further information confirms the prospect of success in the cultivation of Cinchona in Jamaica (see Kew Report for 1877, p. 15).

Mr. Thomson reports (August 13th, 1878,) that in the parish of Manchester the growth of Cinchona is an accomplished success. "The average height of the group of trees which I examined is over 25 feet, the largest specimen, however, measured 35 feet, with its trunk near the ground 2 feet in circumference; this latter size is about equal to our best specimens at the Government plantation, now nine years old. The trees in question are finely developed and very healthy, and are growing in an ordinary coffee field. These trees are growing at the remarkably low elevation of 2,000 feet. A few hundred pounds of bark taken from some of the same batch of trees was stripped and sent to England last year; this bark realised 2s. 1d. per lb., a very satisfactory price considering the age of the trees (seven years) and particularly the low elevation at which they were grown. . . . . . . Thousands of acres in this beautiful parish, with an altitude of about 3,000 feet, present conditions more especially adapted to plant."

A parcel of bark of Cinchona succirubra from Jamaica sold in London in September of last year fetched 2s. 10d. per lb., being a higher price than was reached by either East Indian or Ceylon bark sold at the same time.

Mr. Nock, who is in charge of the Cinchona plantation at Gordon Town, informs me while this Report is in preparation, that "having cut down 100 trees of C. succirubra about 10 years old, the yield of bark amounted to 1,391 lbs. of trunk bark, and 269 lbs. of branch bark, making a total of 1,660 lbs. of green bark. I expect this to lose three-quarters in drying, which will bring it down to 415 lbs., which at 2s. 6d. per lb. will realise over 50l. As the trees are planted 303 to the acre, an acre is worth at 10 years over 150l., which proves Cinchona cultivation in Jamaica to be a profitable undertaking. The average height of the 100 trees was 22 feet, not including 3 feet of the young wood at top. The average circumference close to the ground being 18 inches, and at 5 feet above the ground 13 inches. The tallest tree was 35 feet, with a circumference close to the ground of 30 inches. The smallest was 11 feet high, circumference 13 inches." The Government has authorised the extension of this plantation by 100 acres.

Cork-oaks for the Punjâb.—

Mr. Baden-Powell reports the progress up to 1877 of the Cork-oaks sent out from Kew in 1875 (Kew Report for 1875, p. 8). At Pálampur 28 are alive, and most of them look healthy. They are about a foot-and-a-half high. At Kúlú 50 survive. Their height varies from a few inches to 2 feet. At Dhobi there are only six, one is about 2 feet high; it is in a sunny spot surrounded by a basket open at the top, and this is the only one that looks healthy and vigorous.

Fodder Plants.—

The discovery of new and easily cultivated fodder plants, especially those adapted to hot countries, is a matter which now excites great attention in India and the colonies. It is inevitable that this should be the case, as the primitive physical conditions of newly page 12 settled countries gradually give way before the changes brought about by their occupation for agricultural and other industrial purposes.

Both in North and South Australia the conservation of the natural pasture is already attracting grave consideration. Where the mischief has gone too far and is irremediable the vegetation which is gone must be replaced by some substitute foreign to the soil. Some of the more important of the fodder plants which during the past year have come under our notice at Kew are discussed in the following paragraphs:—

1. Prangos pabularia.—

An application for seeds of this plant has been addressed to Kew from Queensland, where attention has been directed to it as a cure for fluke in sheep. Without estimating its merits in that respect, I felt obliged to point out that the plant was a native of Tibet, was no longer in cultivation in this country, and would, therefore, be difficult to procure. In Tibet it was useful in dry districts in defect of all other forage plants. It failed, however, in Kashmir, and is utterly unfitted for Queensland. Its cultivation was attempted in England some 30 years ago, and entirely disappointed all expectations.

2. "Prickly Comfrey."—

This is a species of Symphytum which has recently been prominently brought into notice as a forage plant. It is apparently identical with a Symphytum which has long been naturalised in the neighbourhood of Bath and elsewhere, and which has been identified by botanists with. S. asperrimum, a native of the Caucasus. Neither the naturalised nor the forage plant appear to be really identical with that species, but have been found by Mr. Baker to agree with Symphytum peregrinum, which appears to be not certainly known as wild anywhere, but to be probably a hybrid of garden origin between Symphytum officinale and S. asperrimum.

Prickly Comfrey, with, it must be confessed, little judgment, has been tried in a variety of countries where the climate is wholly unsuited to its habit of growth. The result has been attended with a good deal of disappointment. In England it has been found very useful for winter fodder, as it forms large, tufts of root-leaves which start into growth early in the year, and bear several cuttings. It is greedily eaten by animals which refuse ordinary Comfrey, the habit and appearance of which is not very dissimilar.

In India Mr. Buck, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce of the North-west Provinces, reports:—"The general result of the experiment in this department is that the climate of the plains is quite unsuitable to the Prickly Comfrey, the plant having failed whenever it has been tried; but there is still some chance of its succeeding under proper treatment in the hills." (Journ. Agri. Hort. Soc. Ind., N.S., Vol. vi, p. 54.) On the other hand, the Rev. G. Richter reports from Coorg:—"The Prickly Comfrey appears to be firmly established in Coorg; fields seen in different coffee plantations are as luxuriant as can be desired."

Dr. Schomburgk, Director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, is convinced that the plant is of little use, at least, to the South Australian plains:—"During the winter months the plants throve satisfactorily and produced some fine leaves, but in the month of October the leaves began to suffer, and . . . . . dried up before any of the grasses . . . . . . The same complaint we hear from page 13 New South Wales, Victoria, even from tropical countries, such as Queensland, Ceylon, Singapore, &c., where the planters have been disappointed with it."

3. Téosinté.—

A new tropical fodder-grass, which has attracted a good deal of attention, deserves to be mentioned in this place. The seeds were originally sent in 1868 to M. Durieu de Maisonneuve, Director of the Botanic Garden at Bordeaux, from Guatemala. He communicated the first notice of the plant which hits appeared to the Société d'Acclimatation at Paris in 1872. Subsequently the seeds were widely distributed by the Society, and I have received their produce in quantity from Dr. King in Calcutta, and from Dr. Schweinfurth in Cairo. From Kew they have been sent to Bahamas and the West Indies generally, Cyprus, South and Tropical Africa, Australia, the United States, and numerous applicants and correspondents.

The grass is essentially tropical in its habits. Mons. Thozet in Queensland found single seeds to give rise to as many as 32 stems, each 12 feet high. Dr. Schweinfurth is said to have harvested at Cairo as many as 12,000 seeds as the produce of three single grains, and Vice-Consul Calvert states that at the same place in July of last year "the plant, after having been mown down, grew one foot in four days."

Dr. R. C. Sandars, of Azimgurh, reports to the Agri-Horticultural Society of Madras:—"Each seed was put in at intervals of five feet, but some two months back each plant had so spread that all touched; some have from 100 to 120 shoots. To give air to those plants which I wished to seed, I had some of the plants cut nearly to the ground. Cattle eat what was cut most greedily, both in its fresh state and also when dry; and the plants which were cut instantly grew again, and are now fit to cut afresh. The plants have had the advantage of the jail garden, which includes a rich soil and abundance of water."

It is also suggested that it would be a valuable fodder for elephants during the hot months.

Mr. Murton writes from Singapore (2nd October 1878):—"I am going in largely for the Euchlæna; it promises to turn out a capital fodder-plant for this place."

Dr. Schomburgk reports from Adelaide:—"I am in hopes that the plant will turn out a great acquisition to our summer fodder plants . . . . Notwithstanding that after planting our young plants have never been watered, and considering the great dryness of the season, their growth is vigorous."

From the United States the Commissioner of Agriculture reports the attempt to extract sugar from the stalks, "but though a fair proportion of syrup was obtained, crystallisation could not be induced, and the results were unsatisfactory."

Botanically the grass is of very great interest. It is remarkable that before its introduction as a fodder-plant it was unknown to science, and it was at first incorrectly referred to the genera Trip-sacum and Reana. It unites the habit of maize (Zea) with, in many respects, the structure of Tripsacum. As Euchlæna and Tripsacum are incontestably American genera, this fact supplies, as has been pointed out, an argument for the new world origin of maize, a matter which has been disputed.

Euchlæna luxurians grew and flowered under stove treatment in the Royal Gardens last year. It was figured in the Botanical Magazine (Tab. 6414) from this source page 14 this being the first published illustration of the plant. An impression of the plate is given with this report. *

India-rubber.—

Hevea and Castilloa.—

I have to report the continued satisfactory progress of the South American rubber-yielding plants, the establishment of which in Ceylon and India is recorded in the Kew Report for 1877 (pp. 15-17).

Mr. Morris, the Assistant Director of the Royal Botanic Garden, Ceylon, writes (18th May 1878):—"The rubbers are doing remarkably well, both here (Peradeniya) and at Heneratgodde. The Heveas are nearly 12 feet high and look quite handsome trees. The Castilloas had grown so much that. I quite failed to recognise them. They grow into broad spreading trees with a very majestic air."

Dr. Thwaites, the Director, reported up to the end of last year:—"The rubber plants are thriving very satisfactorily, but Hevea and Castilloa do not seem disposed to flower yet. We manage to strike a good many cuttings of Hevea, but Castilloa we cannot strike from cuttings of the stem, and the roots are not yet large enough to furnish good chunks for getting plants from."

While this Report is in preparation Dr. Thwaites writes to me (17th April 1879):—"I have sent off 516 plants raised from cuttings of Hevea brasiliensis to the Conservator of Forests at Moulmein in charge of a person he sent to take care of them. I am expecting a man from the Conservator of Forests at Madras for some Hevea plants to be tried in the neighbourhood of Calicut. Our Hevea plants are now becoming more branched, and so it is to be hoped they will flower before very long, and save us the necessity of raising plants from cuttings, which is not easy from comparatively young plants. I have sent the Conservator of Forests at Moulmein also two growing plants of Castilloa which we managed to take up from the ground successfully, and I hope they will reach him in good order. From the appearance of the trees I hardly think that Castilloa will produce seeds for some years, and until it becomes a very large tree."

The propagation of Castilloa is still continued at Kew. Progress is slow on account of the small stock which has been retained to work upon, but otherwise the difficulty of which Dr. Thwaites complains has not been met with.

At my request Mr. Murton, the Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, has sent plants of Hevea, Castilloa, and also of the Ceara rubber, to Queensland, where they have arrived in good condition.

From Singapore the two former have also been introduced into Perak, where Mr. Low reports (February 3rd, 1879):—"The Heveas are now 12 to 14 feet high. They take to the country immensely. The Castilloa is a large tree, 10 feet high, with branches 5 feet long." Mr. Murton adds:—"As regards their propagation, which Mr. Low seems to have found rather difficult, I find that the half-ripened shoots with a shield of hard wood are best; but, unless kept tolerably dry, are very apt to rot off."

page break

Sketch of plants by L. Reeve & co. London

page 15

From Kew, plants of Hevea have been sent to Dr. Kirk, at Zanzibar, and also to Fiji; in the latter case without success.

With regard to the Hevea plants sent to Assam (see Kew Report for 1877, p. 15), Mr. Mann reports:—"Soon after transplanting the leaves turned white and dropped off, and subsequently the wood of the young trees withered away gradually, and by July there was not one of the plants alive. This failure had been anticipated, and is attributed to the comparatively low temperature in Assam."

2. Ceará Rubber.—

At the end of August of last year consignments of plants of the Ceará. rubber, consisting, in each instance, of two wardian cases containing 80 plants, and one dry box containing 40 plants, were sent to Lieut.-Colonel Beddome, Conservator of Forests, Madras, and Dr. King, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta. Of those sent to Madras all were alive on arrival in the wardian cases, while of the contents of the dry box about half were saved. Those originally sent to Dr. King (see Kew Report for 1877, p. 16) arrived in rather bad condition. Few were saved, and the growth of these did not impress Dr. King favourably. "They all look more or less weak and lanky, as if the climate were too damp for them." This was, perhaps, a premature judgment from want of familiarity with the habit of the plant. Dr. King now writes:—"Ceará rubber is going to be a success here."

At Ceylon, in April one of the plants first sent out had already made an attempt to flower, and by the end of the year Dr. Thwaites was distributing copious supplies of seed to Calcutta, Burmah, Madras, and Singapore (where, however, it-seems unable to stand the wet season).

I regard, therefore, the work of Kew completed as regards the Ceará rubber. Living plants of it have been distributed during the past year to Dominica, Fiji, Jamaica, Java, Sydney, Trinidad, Queensland, and Zanzibar.

Liberian Coffee.—

I quote the following from a report furnished to the Colonial Office by the President of Dominica:—

"The Liberian coffee plants are thriving in many parts of the island, but under the fostering care of the Hon. Dr. Imray, to whom the community is entirely indebted for the real establishment of the coffee tree in Dominica. Some of the early imported trees have borne fruit, and the Creole seeds have been sown and are coming up, and the plants showing every sign of vigour and health . . . . . The native coffee is still suffering from blight The Liberian coffee trees, although in close proximity to the native coffee, seem to bid defiance to the ravages of this scourge, while the luxuriance of its foliage causes a painful contrast."

Dr. Imray writes to me in May of last year:—"I have several hundred seedlings coming on, raised from the seeds of the plants sent by you. The trees have again flowered, and there is a large crop on them for next year. They still continue very healthy, and increase in size. I cordially join in your aspirations that the dire consequences of natural selection may be averted as regards the Cemiostoma. Hitherto all its efforts have failed, and as the operation of natural selection and the survival of the fittest is somewhat tardy, we may look forward to a period of at least two or three millions of years before the creature can possibly have 'acquired' an instrument strong enough to page 16 tap the flinty cuticle of a Liberian coffee leaf.

"Further observation has shown me that there is a considerable difference between the two species of coffee in regard to the ripening of the fruit, which may be of some importance if the cultivation extends in the island. In C. arabica when the berry is full it soon takes on a rather bright red colour, quickly softens, becomes detached from the tree, and falls to the ground. The outer coating of the pericarp is thin, and the surface smooth; within there is a loose sweetish tasted pulp, from which the seeds are separated without much difficulty. The pericarp of the seed of C. liberica is a hard fibrous covering, rather rough on the surface as compared with C. arabica, of a greenish-red colour, containing very little pulpy matter, and, so far as I have observed, never softening on the tree, or indeed after it is gathered, but in a very slight degree. The peduncle is short and very strong, and the fruit, instead of dropping when ripe, as in Coffea arabica, remains firmly fixed; in time it shrivels up, but still (so far as I have noticed) continues attached to the branch, becoming dark-coloured and very hard.

"From this difference in the ripening of the berries of Liberian coffee, I think I have been rather misled as to the length of time required for their full maturity. I believe I might have gathered all the berries on my trees six weeks or two months earlier. I waited week after week, watching when the softening process would commence. Having some misgivings, however, I gathered a few berries and planted the seeds. In six weeks (the usual time) they began to germinate and appeared above ground. I hesitated no longer, but at once collected all the seeds that were quite full and of a red colour. They never look so bright as the coffee of the country.

"In former times, when the cultivation of coffee in this island was general, the plantations that were short-handed often suffered considerable loss, for as the coffee ripened all at once, unless the berries were gathered immediately they dropped on the ground and rotted. With the Liberian coffee no such loss need be feared, for the berry remains so long on the tree that ample time would be allowed to gather in the crop with comparatively few hands."

Mr. Murton reports from Singapore:—"Two of the plants from the number sent here in August 1877 from Kew, when they were not two inches high, were setting fruit at the end of 1878. A few plants were sent to Sarawak, but I have heard nothing about them, except that they arrived in excellent condition. I find this species of coffee very easy of propagation by cuttings, but the plants appear to grow very slowly after being rooted, and this plan of raising a stock is not, in my opinion, to be recommended."

From Ceylon I have received a report of the first Liberian coffee estate opened at Kalutara. An average tree was found, in November of last year, to bear 1,500 berries, which was calculated to be at the rate of 150 bushels to the acre, equivalent to 8.3 cwt. of clean coffee. It is hoped that by its means vast tracts in Ceylon of abandoned or semi-abandoned low lying land will be redeemed for cultivation.

From Southern India the reports are not very favourable, and the climate is no doubt unsuitable. The Rev. G. Richter states, August 30, 1878:—"The various experiments page 17 with Liberian coffee do not appear to be encouraging. The most successful plants blossomed this season but scantily and have now some berries. Those lately received from Kew, and distributed in small pots by the Mysore Government, have not done well with me and several other planters. Though transplanted into bamboo baskets and kept in a conservatory, they remained sickly, contracted leaf-disease, and are not healthy, even after being put out into good rich soil in the open garden."

At my request Dr. Thwaites obligingly forwarded to the Maharajah of Johore 400 young plants of Liberian coffee, and he has also been so good as to send to Fiji a parcel of the seeds.

Mahogany Seed for India.—

All the available supplies of mahogany seed which reach Kew in a sound condition have been sent with all possible expedition to India through the Inda Office. As stated in the last Kew Report, mahogany produces good marketable furniture wood in Bengal and Burma.

Lieut.-Col. Beddome, Conservator of Forests, Madras Presidency, reports (April 20, 1878):—"The mahogany grows so splendidly at Nelumbur, and in amongst the teak trees (not objecting to shade), that it is a pity large supplies of its seeds cannot be procured."

Capt. Doveton, Conservator of Forests, Central Provinces, reports that at Telenkheri mahogany does well.

Supplies of the seed have also been sent from Kew to Mauritius.

Mesquit Beans.—

The attempt (see Kew Report for 1877, p. 20) to secure the introduction into India and the colonies of these cattle-feeding plants, which are found so useful in hot dry countries, has met with a varied amount of success. The Screw Bean (Prosopis pubescens) appears to be the most difficult to establish.

Dr. Schomburgk reports from Adelaide that the South Australian climate does not suit the growth of the Screw Bean, about 100 young plants in pots having perished. In the case Prosopis juliflora, trees of last year's planting reached the height of 5 to 6 feet.

Mr. Bernays writes from Brisbane that both P. pubescens and P. juliflora are growing in the open ground from Kew seeds, and that there are strong young trees of the latter in Bowen Park also raised from the seed sent from Kew.

Mr. Keit, Curator of the Natal Botanic Gardens, writes to me:—"Regarding Prosopis pubescens, I beg to state that the seeds sown here germinated freely and grew for some time, but, notwithstanding all the care bestowed upon them, the young plants were, especially after rain, attacked and subsequently destroyed by a minute fungus. But I am glad to be able to add that one of my correspondents residing in the country has succeeded in rearing a couple of young plants, which are doing well. It appears to me that the interior of the country is more suitable for the cultivation of these plants than the coast districts."

Mr. Duthie, of the Saharunpore Botanic Gardens, states that "Prosopis juliflora is doing very well, and should give seed next year or the year after. P. pubescens failed during the rains."

In Southern India, Lieut. Col. Beddome reports that the experimental planting of Prosopis juliflora at Cuddapah promises to be a success.

Pithecolobium Saman.—

This South American tree is referred to page 18 below in what is said with respect to the Rain tree. According to Spruce, in its native country the pods are greedily eaten by deer and cattle. Mr. Jenman, the Superintendent of the Castleton Botanic Garden, Jamaica, has pointed out to the Colonial Office the remarkable merit of the tree for cultivation in hot tropical countries, as the foliage affords a very grateful shade, while the pods supply fodder of excellent quality. The following remarks are extracted from Mr. Jenman's report:—

"Pithecolobium Saman, popularly known in Jamaica as Guango, was originally introduced from the American mainland, but has now become thoroughly naturalised in all the dry regions, it is a lofty tree, in habit resembling the English oak. Trees are not uncommon seventy feet high, the spread of whose branches covers a diameter of one hundred and thirty feet. Owing to the folding of the leaves at night, the shade of the tree is said not to impede the deposit of dew beneath its branches. Grass grows freely even up to the trunk.

"The fruit is a bright dark-coloured pod when ripe, six to ten inches long, hardly one inch wide by a quarter of an inch thick, in substance consisting of a sugary amber-coloured pulp. The pods are borne in great profusion and hang prior to their maturity dangling in clusters from every branchlet. As they ripen they drop to the ground, and are picked up and eaten with much relish by all stock, even sheep and goats. Cattle may be seen lingering about the trees waiting for the passing breeze to shake the fruit down. Its excellent quality as a fodder is evident by its fattening effect. Stock having access to it improve markedly during the time it is in season.

"From the sugary nature of the fruit, it will keep a good while packed after maturity. It is therefore often gathered, packed in barrels, and kept for use till the dry early spring season has parched up grass and made herbage scarce. There is no doubt, I think, that it would make as good a preserved cattle-food mixed with other ingredients as the Carob (Ceratonia Siliqua), which is largely imported into England from the shores of the Mediterranean for this purpose. Pithecolobium Saman thrives best in dry hot plains having a rainfall of from thirty to sixty inches. Though of quick growth the wood is hard and very ornamental in the grain."

Seeds of this tree received from Jamaica were sent to the following places: Bombay, Brisbane, Calcutta, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Madras, Mauritius, Natal, Saharunpore, Travancore, and a further supply was distributed through the India Office.

It is of course premature to expect any immediate result from the experiment. I learn, however, that in August of last year the Agri-Horticultural Society of Madras had a large number of fine young plants ready for distribution. About the same time Mr. Ford, in Hong Kong, had upwards of 1,000 good healthy plants." Mr. Duthie reported from Saharunpore in September:—"The Pithecolobium is doing most splendidly here; every seed is germinating, and the plant is looking healthy in every respect."

Dr. King reports from Calcutta:—"There are in the garden two sets of this tree, one consisting of five trees about 11 years old, and the other consisting of 84 trees, which were planted in an avenue four years ago. The tree is an extremely rapid grower, and seems perfectly at home in the climate and soil of Lower Bengal. page 19 The habit of growth and softness of the timber make the tree of little value as a building material, but it would probably answer well as a firewood tree, and as a shade tree I know nothing to equal it in Bengal .... The older trees have this year for the first time given seed; the pod is quite as sweet as that of the Carob, and is abundantly produced, and altogether I consider Pithecolobium Human a much more hopeful source of cattle-fodder than the Carob, while as a rapid grower it is unrivalled."

Wagatea spicata.—

Mr. G. M. Woodrow, Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens, Ganesh Khind, Poona, has sent to Kew seeds of Wagatea spicata, a scrambling thorny shrub, native of the Concan, and interesting on account of the beauty of its foliage and flowers. The pods have been found by the Government analyst to contain 15 per cent, of tannic acid, and some tons have been sent home to test their value for tanning.

Seeds were distributed from Kew to Demerara, Dominica, Jamaica, Trinidad, and other correspondents.

The following is a statement of the plants, &c. sent out during the past year, and included in 365 consignments:—
Ward's Cases. Packets of Seeds. Stove and Greenhouse Plants. Herbaceous Plants. Trees and Shrubs. Number of Recipients.
Britain 868 5,313 1,094 1,248 106
Continent 81 714 88 21
Asia 10 105 640 8
Africa 4 11 238 218 7
America 8 195 424 8 18
Australia and New Zealand. 4 105 287 12 118 8
26 1,365 7,616 1,202 1,584 168

* Description of the Analytical Figures.—1, portion of female spike of the natural size; 2, diagram explanatory of the position, &c. of the dilated rachis (a) and of the female spikelet (b outer, c inner empty glume, d.lower flowering glume); 3, vertical section through rachis and outer empty glume, showing points of attachment above and below of successive joints of the inflorescence; 4, tips of the stigma; 5, diagram explaining the relative position of the parts of the male spikelet; figs. 2-5 all much enlarged.