THE WESTERN CYCADS 13 



diagnosis based upon the leaf, cone scales, and seeds 

 proved to be accurate enough for an identification but 

 gave little idea of the plant or its surroundings. The 

 life-history had never been studied, and the location 

 indicated by the phrase ''arbuscula Mexicana" seemed 

 rather vague to one whose time and money were limited. 

 However, Professor George Karsten had mentioned to 

 me that he had seen Dioon somewhere near Banderilla; 

 and the late Professor George Pringle wrote me that he 

 had seen large specimens two or three stations east of 

 Jalapa. 



With this rather scanty information I laid the matter 

 before the Botanical Society of America and received a 

 grant sufficient to cover the railway fare from Chicago 

 to Jalapa and return. I also obtained a fine letter of 

 introduction from President William R. Harper to our 

 ambassador in the City of Mexico, who gave me an 

 embarrassingly cordial introduction to the governor of 

 the state of Vera Cruz, Teodora A. Dehesa, who used 

 his powerful influence in furthering my investigations. 

 His broad scholarship and deep interest in education 

 was best expressed in the system of schools which he had 

 devised and developed, consisting of excellent graded 

 schools, a normal school, and a technical school, adapted 

 to the needs of his people. His private secretary, Mr. 

 Alexander M. Gaw, an American, thoroughly familiar 

 with Mexico, not only helped me while I was there but 

 sent material at frequent intervals for nearly ten years. 

 With directions furnished by Governor Dehesa I found 

 Dioon edule in great abundance at Chavarrillo, a small 

 station on the International Railway about an hour's 

 ride east ofjjalapa. 



