258 



short, l)ranelies spreading, glabrous; flowers spirally arranged, gene- 

 rally in scattered clusters of 3, males in pairs towards the upper 

 part of the branches, females solitary between 2 males in lower 

 part. Male floirers ^ inch in diameter; stamens 12, filaments 

 e((ualling the anthers. Fonale foirers ovoid with appressed 

 perianth segments. Fruit globosely ovoid, about 1 inch in length,. 

 Seed globose. 



Habitat. — Ceylon. 



This palm has not yet fruited in the gardens, though it has 

 several times flowered. The plant which is in the Palm Valley 

 is at present aliout 15 fect in lieight and is very attractive with its 

 close growing crown of leaves and blood red flower spikes. 



F. Flippance. 



{To he continued.) 



Polyembryony. 



Two instances of what presumably are cases of polyembryony 

 were recently noticed by Mr. G. B. Deshmukh on germinating seeds 

 in the Economic Gardens. 



Tn one case, that of Citrus deciunana, L. the Pomelo, one 

 seed bore five shoots each with its own diminutive cotvledon and 

 rootlet. These shoots were separated and planted and have done 

 well. 



The otlier case was a seed of the Avocado Pear, Persea gratis- 

 sima, Gaertu. which gave rise to six shoots and a common root. 

 They were difficult to separate and have been allowed to grow as 

 they arose. 



The above seeds took longer to germinate than the normal 

 seeds did, and the first shoots were somewhat weakly in their early 

 stages. 



Mr. Deshmukh also reports that at the same time adventitious- 

 buds were observed on the leaves of a cabbage. 



T. F. C. 



Relation of Soil Acidity to Plant Jutce. 



In Soil Science \'ol. VIT. Xo. 6. E. Trong and M. E. Meacham 

 bring to a conclusion their paper on Soil Acidity in its bearing on 

 the acidity of the Plant Juice. In view of the large amount of 

 fruit planting at present contemplated in Malaya the following 

 extract from the above quoted paper should prove of value in 

 influencing planters in their selection of soil. 



"There are considera,ble differences in the acidities of juices 

 of dift'erent species of plants. The aciditv of each species of plant, 

 while it may vary to an extent easily measurable, is, however, usually 

 limited to a rather narrow range. Undoulitedly for each species of 



