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XIV.—HEDYCHIUM CORONARIUM IN BRAZIL. 
The following letter relating to Hedychium coronarium grow- 
ing in a wild state in Brazil has been received by the Director 
from Mr. Crayton Brave, who recently undertook the journey 
to Brazil in order to see the extent to which Hedychium has 
become established and also to investigate the possibilities of 
using it for paper-making in the country and elsewhere :— 
Laboratories, 
15, Boro’, S.E. 
March 5th, 1917. 
Dear Sir, 
Santos, because that land would appear, from its general charac- 
ter, to be particularly favourable to the agi of the plant. 
The district where Hedychium is particularly abundant is on the 
plies are centred round about Morretes, the old capital of Parana 
and stretch for miles in many directions. In this district, how- 
one rises until it disappears altogether at an elevation of about 
1500 feet. The normal height of the plant in the regions of the 
plains is about 5 feet. In certain favoured localities it reaches 
10 and 12 feet, and is much bigger round in the stem. In suc 
districts it is practically impossible to penetrate the dense 
growth. I was told that the flowering season was December or 
January. It appears to grow abundantly all the year round 
without any wintering; individual stems growing up and dying 
own in succession and throwing out new root-stocks. In places 
the ground underneath is more or less choked with the débris 
of dead stems. It seems to grow more vigorously after the 
ground is burnt over to clear it. If the undergrowth is burnt 
