212 



but it maintains the plants in position longer, and the yams are never 

 so well ripened as when grown under the system I have described. 

 Following it, we have ground cleared regularly at certain periods, and 

 a proper system of alternating crops is instituted, which would be 

 absolutely impossible under the native system. The native system is, 

 however, well adapted for hill-side or pocket culture, where only 

 small areas can be allotted to individual plants. Dr. Nicholls iu 

 Tropical Agriculture has estimated the yield of yams at four or five 

 tons per annum, but our average nett yield for three years in succes- 

 sion has been over ten tons per acre, or a result which we venture to 

 think fully justifies the system of culture adopted, and it is open to 

 enquirers to call at the Gardens and see these results for themselves. 



205. -REPORT ON RE-DISCOVERY OP "SACOGLOTTIS 



AMAZONICA," Mart. 



At pages 151-2 of this volume of the Bulletin the origin of one 

 of the ocean-drift fruits of which notice had been taken in the pages 

 of " Nature" was shortly discussed (Article 183). Feeling certain 

 that the plant in question was still to be found in Trinidad, and 

 having seen on a visit to the Cedros district, that the seeds were very 

 numerous on the beach, I determined to send in search of the tree. 



Mr. Lunt's report printed herewith shows how fully successful 

 we have been in obtaining the necessary material for authoritative 

 determination. Specimens have been forwarded to Kew and to Dr. 

 Urban of Berlin and from both places the plant has been decided to be 

 the true Sacoglotiis amazonica of Martins found by him on the banks 

 of the Amazon, specimens of which have long been in European her- 

 baria. The question of the origin of this peculiar drift fruit is there- 

 fore finally settled after being a mystery for a series of years. I may 

 mention that some of the fresh fi-uit which Mr, Lunt brought home 

 on the first trip have germinated and a few healthy plants are now in 

 -our hands, which it is hoped will become permanently established in 

 some parts of the Koyal Botanic Gardens. 



Report of Collecting Expedition in the Cedros District, 



Trinidad. 



March 16th, 1896. 

 The Superintendent 



Royal Botanic Gardens. 



I left the Gardens early on the morning of March the 10th, in search of the 

 tree described as Sacoglottis amazonica, Mart., in the article by Dr. Morris in 

 "Natiire" of November 21st, 1895, a copy of which had been handed to me for 

 perusal. 



