270 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 



Shrubby, spreading, 0.3 to 1 m. high. Further distribution, West 

 Indies. 



W. CARACASANA DC. Prod., vol. 5, p. 541 (1836); Griseb., Fl. 

 Brit. W. Ind., p. 371.— San Juan Mt., alt. 600 m., Johnston, no. 97, 

 July 11. Venezuela: near Caracas, Vargas, no. 97, 1829; Birschel; 

 A. H. Moore, Mar. 16, 1899; Colonia Tovar, Fendler, nos. 682, 

 683, in 1854-55, and 1961, Jan. 25, 1857; La Guaira, Robinson 

 & Lyon, July 6. Further distribution, Trinidad, Panama. 



WuLFFiA Neck. 



W. BACCATA (L. f.) Ktze., Rev. gen., vol. 1, p. 373 (1891). Coreop- 

 sis baccata L. f., SuppL, p. 380 (1781). Helianthus ? sarmentosus 

 Rich., Act. soc. nat. hist. Par., vol. 1, p. 112 (1792). Wulffia steno- 

 glossa DC, Prod., vol. 5, p. 563 (1836); Griseb., Fl. Brit. W. Ind., 

 p. 372.— San Juan Mt., alt. 500 m., Johnston, no. 101, July 19. 

 Bush, 1-1.5 m. high. Further distribution. West Indies, Guiana to 

 Peru. 



Economic Plants of Margarita. 



The most important of the plants, which are cultivated on Mar- 

 garita, is the coconut palm. Although there are only the two large 

 groves, one completely filling the lower part of El Valle and the other 

 extending through Asuncion valley, yet they furnish a large part of 

 the coconuts used on the island. The huts of the poor people are 

 constructed of the leaves, and the fruit constitutes an important part 

 of their food. The cultivation of these groves consists merely in keep- 

 ing the undergrowth down and in maintaining irrigation ditches. 



The next most important vegetable product of the island is cassava 

 made from Manihot utilissima. Fields of this are usually upon a 

 hillside and it is abundantly grown in such places in El Valle. There 

 is, however, in Asuncion, one large field of cassava on the plain. 

 The cultivation of this plant on the hillside, which is preferable on 

 account of loose soil and good drainage, is rendered difficult by the 

 steepness of the slopes. Planting is done by setting out cuttings from 

 the stem each about 15 cm. (6 in.) long, that are placed in rows about 

 1.5 m. apart. The earth is heaped in small ridges between the rows 

 and the plants so as to form ridges about each plant, thus serving to 

 hold whatever water may come down. In some parts, a single row 

 of stones extends between each two rows of plants, in that way forming 



