The Plant World 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL OF POPULAR BOTANY 



Official Organ of 

 The Wild Flower Preservation Society 



OF America 



Vol. VI JUNE, 1903 No. 6 



Extracts from the Note-Book of a Nat- 

 uralist on the Island of Guam.— VII.* 



By William E. Safford. 



Sunday, September 17. — Awakened this morning before daylight by 

 the sound of voices. Went to the window and saw scores of natives flock- 

 ing to the old church across the plaza, on my left. Dressed hurriedly 

 and followed them. Bright starlight; the morning air fresh, and laden 

 with the fragrance of night-blooming Cestrum, two bushes of which grow 

 on either side of the church door — vanilla-like odor, agreeable at a dis- 

 tance, but too rank at close range. The natives call the plant dama de 

 noche, or the ' ' lady of the night, ' ' the same name, I think, which it bears 

 in other Spanish-speaking countries. 



On entering the church I was impressed with the beauty and good 

 taste of the interior. Roof supported by two rows of columns, straight 

 trunks of " ifil " trees {hitsia bijiiga), said to have been cut near by. The 

 altar of white and gold, after the Spanish style, but not so overloaded 

 with ornament as many of the Spanish churches of America. Along the 

 walls the stations marked by simple crosses of wood. Everything sweet 

 and clean ; the church overflowing with worshippers, men, women and 

 children, some of whom were obliged to kneel outside the door ; organ of 

 good tone and played with taste ; choir of men and boys in the loft above 

 the entrance. As the women reached their places, most of them took off 



♦Continued from May issue. Begun in September, 1902. 



