19 [ 300 ] 
the worst soils of the United States. Every ‘ngeicealturee idicier' every 
scientific association ; every agricultural or scientifical saga aba that has 
become acquainted with his services and suggestions in behalf of the imme- 
diate domestication of tropical plants in southern Florida, vale of their 
gradual acclimation throughout our southern States, have borne their aig 
testimony to the practicability and importance of his great ente 
Admitting, for sake of argument, that solely the fibrous-leaved plants: will 
be domesticated in southern Florida, arts acclimated in the southern States, 
he is willing to rest the merits of his humble petition to Congress on the 
production of ape fibres alone. "The individual members of both 
raise will do- the justice to admit the fact, that he has merely 
= not used any extraneous influence to operate on the minds of ae mselves, 
or of other members of either House; and that. his ‘principal ambition has 
been to obtain their unanimous report, founded on their convic- 
tions of the natiotial importance of his plans, to introduce and propagate the 
most profitable plants on the poorest soils. 
n the style aud character of their reports, will greatly depend his hopes 
three tribes, viz: the screw-pine tribe, the banana tribe, and the palm tribe. 
Under the lily tribe, he | has placed the genera of Yucca and of Phorminm, 
and Aloes may be conjoined. Under the ae a tribe, the genus of Bro- 
melia, of Agave, and of Fiwrcrous Under the amaryllis tribe, Lindley has 
placed the Agave and Fourcroya ; but they are still retained in the pineapple 
- tribe by other botanists. Under the screw- ‘pine tribe there is but one genus, 
the ; Pandanus, of which there are many species. Under the banana tribe, 
are placed species of the genera Musa and Heliconia ; and under the palm 
tribe species of the genera called Bactris, Mauritia,&c. ‘And hence, by 3 a pets 
ence to the plates cpap hed species of either of the genera named, a general 
idea may be obtained of the common resemblances, and peculiar dificreqities, 
in the leaves of each ‘iid of all. 
: H. PERRINE. 
Wilddiiesins D.C., February 24, 1838. 
Inpran Key, Tropican Ripe 
February 1, 1838. 
R Sir; pe eee to my letter of Laster I pet # to make 
some sfarthel remarks by this ail. 
{Flot i rially from the same erroneous idea. Look at the attempt to 
