126 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



fruits remain on the plant until they decay, or if the seeds 

 sprout their rootlets are unahle to reach the soil, so that few- 

 new seedlings are produced and the spread of the species in- 

 to new regions is greatly hindered. Douhtless the palm 

 would have disappeared long ago hut for the fact that the 

 underground stem produces a number of otTshoots which may 

 bec<^me independent plants and so aid in continuing the species 

 in such places as it may happen to have become established. 

 It is (juite likely that many other species have disappeared in 

 the ])ast simply because they ha\e become so overspecialized 

 in some respects that they are unable to adjust themselves to 

 changed conditions. It- is conceivable that several of our 

 orchids may l>e on the way to extinction through overspe- 

 cialized methods of pollination. 



The DasheKn. — Although the dasheen is a food of great 

 importance in the Orient and was introduced into the south- 

 ern States for experimental cultivation by plant explorers of 

 the I'nited States Department of Agriculture more than 15 

 years ago, it has had to fight prejudice and the lack of knowl- 

 edge concerning its value as a f(K)d much as the now popular 

 potato did in Europe at one time. Persistance on the part 

 of certain growers wdio believed in it. however, coupled with 

 a >ma]l demand for the dasheen by certain Oriental people 

 of the larger cities, has developed the production of this new 

 food to a point where an average of 10 carloads are sent to 

 northern markets each season. Now these gnnvers have 

 formed a dasheen association for the purpose of promoting 

 their industry. Experimental work both in the growing of 

 the dasheen and with its eating qualities has proved the poten- 

 tial i)ossibilities of the new crop. The great trouble with the 

 dasheen is that it is, to most tastes, no l^etter than the common 

 potato, which is more easily and probably more cheaply pur- 

 cha>ed and stored. 



