a thorny shrub with ovate leaves pentamerous white 
flowers, small nearly globose yellow fruit with thin skin 
and an abundance of pure acid juice; it is naturalized in ~ 
Jamaica, forming strong fences :—all characters precisely 
accordant with Lord Ducie’s plant. Grisebach unites with — 
it C. spinosissima, Meyer, and refers both to a var. of C. 
Aurantium, L., in which’ he is certainly mistaken. Brandis 
alludes to the West Indian Lime, following Grisebach as to 
its position and synonymy, but adds that the fruit is very : 
‘ much like the small acid Lime of India, and suggests the 
removing it from under C. Aurantium. The C. spinosissima 
of Meyer (printed by a lapsus acidissima in Brandis) is no 
doubt a sub-variety, differing in its very small leaves, 
flowers, and fruit. Other authors refer the West Indian 
Lime to C. Limetta, Risso, which is its nearest European | 
representative, but which differs in its sweet juice. 
The last reference which I have to make is to a woodcut 
in the * Gardeners’ Chronicle” (N.S. vol. v. p. 690, fig. 123) 
of what appears to be the fruit of this plant, under the name 
of ‘the Bijou Lemon,’ with unfortunately no -history at- — 
tached. 
With the exception of this woodcut, I know of no other | 
published figure of the Lime than that here given. It isa — 
favourite fruit in the West Indies and Southern United — 
States, the acid being far more grateful than that of the 
Lemon; and it is hence universally used for flavouring soup3, 
&c., and in the preparation of many alcoholic and acidulated 
drinks. In my younger days it was imported in vast quan- — 
tities into the City of Glasgow, providing an indispensable 
material for the brewing of the famous Glasgow Punch. 
That it is now so seldom seen comparatively, is due to the — 
declension of that social and family intercourse that once — 
Was so intimate between the great city and the Spanish — 
main. It is still the principal source of citric acid, and 18 — 
cultivated in the West Indies for its manufacture,tespecially 
in Montserrat and Dominica. g 
Karl Ducie, to whom I am indebted for the specimen 
figured, informs me that he purchased the plant, and is not 
aware of its origin; it fruited in January, 1883, and the 
flowering branch was sent in the following April. Both 
were very fragrant. Plants at Kew from the Montserrat 
Estates of Messrs. Sturgess, presented by the firm, have 
