COOK AND COLLINS—-ECONOMIC PLANTS OF PORTO RICO. 195 
Mucuna utilis. VELVET BEAN. 
The velvet bean has been tried at a few points in Porto Rico, and vigorous growth 
is reported. In all probability it will be found one of many leguminous plants 
of value for restoring exhausted soils. 
Mugwort. See Purthenium hysterophorus, 
Mulberry. See Morus. 
Multa. 
Grosourdy (2: 402) refers this to the genus Eugenia, and describes it as a wild 
fruit tree. 15 to 20 feet (4 to 6 meters) high, with rather hard, resistant wor od, the 
only use of which is in making charcoal. 
A sample of fruit called ‘* multas*’ in the San Juan market was not unlike those 
of the genus Eugenia. The pulp, though very thin, is of a pleasant taste, not 
unlike that of gooseberries. 
The name ‘murta,’ given by Urban as the common name of Kugenia flori- 
bunda and E, cordata sintenisii and by Stahl for Mouriria domingensis, may in 
one or more cases be another spelling of ** multa,’’ misunderstood for the Spanish 
word for *‘ myrtle.” 
The word “multa is given in Velasquez’s Spanish dictionary as the name ofa 
fruit tree in Porto Rico. 
According to Captain Hansard this name is applied to a wood with a specific 
gravity of 1.06, found in Vieques, and used for coloring Tum. 
Mufeca. See Cordia borinquensis and Gilibertia arborea, 
A tree from the eastern part of the island; height, 30 to 85 feet (9 to [1 meters); 
diameter, 10 to 12 inches (25 to30 centimeters). Wood, ash-colored, soft; specific 
gravity. 0.951; used for lumber, (Exp. 1857.) (Grosourdy, 2: 403.) 
A soft, light, inferior wood, found occasionally in the hills: specific gravity, 0.59. 
(Hansard. ) 
Mufnieca de costas. 
A tree from the northern part of the island; height, 30 to 35 feet (9 to II meters) ; 
diameter. 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters. ) Wood, yellowish, rather hard; 
specific gravity, 0.923. (Exp, 1857.) Use wi for fuel. (Grosourdy, 2: 405.) 
Murraya exotica. Caré pre LA INpis, 
Family Rutaceae; a shrub, 2 to 3 meters high, native in the East Indies, and 
naturalized in the West Indies and on the continent. It is cultivated.in gardens 
for its abundant and fragrant flowers and for its agreeable, small, reddish tart 
fruits, which much resemble coffee berries. although in reality the plant is closely 
related to the orange. (Stahl, 2: 185.) Near Carolina this plant was called 
+ dama de noche,’ a naine supposed to belong to Cesfrwm nocturne. 
The rather straight trunk is sometimes as thick as a man’s thigh, but is ordi- 
narily smaller. It furnishes a wood very similar to the boxwood of Europe, which 
it might very well replace. The wood is durable, yellowish white with brownish 
heart, fine-grained and dense, strong and solid. Very good for turned articles 
and susceptible of a polish. Specific gravity, 0.979. (Grosourdy, 2: 366.) 
Murta. See Engenia floribunda, E. cordata, E. sintenisii, and Mouriria 
domingensis. 
Musa. Banana. GUINEO, 
The culture of bananas for export is one of the industries which could be added 
to the resources of Porto Rico with every hope of success. Although furnishing, 
perhaps, the most important food crop of the island the banana is seldom treated 
to any approximation of regular cultivation. Toa large extent, the growing of 
bananas has gone hand in hand with the planting of coffee, for the shading of 
which large numbers of bananas are required. Extensive fields, which appear to 
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