272 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 



The following fruits and vegetables grow in El Valle and at Asuncion 

 though sparingly, not being cultivated to any extent: Annona reticulata, 

 the custard-apple; Malpighia punicifolia a small fruit not used much; 

 Cajamis indicus, the pigeon pea; Dolichos sp., a pea; Phaseolus 

 vulgaris, a bean; Psidium guajava, from which guava jelly is made; 

 Passi flora laurifolia, the belle-apple; Dioscorea alata, a yam; Cucu- 

 mis Melo and C. Anguria, both small melons; Physalis peruviana, 

 the "tomato"; Tamarindus indica, the tamarind, quite abundant 

 in El Valle. 



The foregoing plants may be considered as the only ones of much 

 economic importance to the inhabitants; that is, they are the only ones 

 that are cultivated or made much use of. As a matter of fact the 

 number of plants that are found growing on Margarita and that are 

 important commercially on the mainland and elsewhere is rather large. 

 The list contains a few specimens of timber trees, of medicinal plants, 

 of plants producing resins and gums, and other products such as dyes 

 and tannins. The fact that these do grow upon Margarita suggests 

 that they might be cultivated in greater abundance. That they are 

 not found in greater quantities, while of course due largely to the 

 physical conditions of the island, is also owing to the ignorance and 

 lack of care on the part of the inhabitants. This is strikingly illus- 

 trated in two or three small private haciendas where such things as 

 grapes, egg-plants, tomatoes, and peppers are successfully cultivated. 

 The fact that so many of the plants furnish useful products suggests 

 the possibility that Margarita may be made more productive than it is 

 at present; for that reason it is desirable to enumerate them here 

 together with their uses. 



INIaterial for the following has largely been drawn from La Exposi- 

 cion nacional de Venezuela en 1883 by A. Ernst; the World's Colum- 

 bian Exposition in Chicago — Venezuela ; and Medicinal plants of 

 Caracas by A. Ernst in Seemann's Journal of botany for 1865. 



WOODS. 



Anacardium occidentale. Wood strong and durable. Little 

 used, as its fruit is of more importance. Trees scarce. 



Achras Zapota. Nispero. Wood very hard, strong, and heavy, 

 of a reddish color and taking a beautiful polish. Chiefly valued for 

 its fruit. Trees abundant. 



