973 



trees send out branches, and they are long, straggling, 

 and terribly thorn;/. Others grow with a diameter of only 

 two inches, and make good poles for bringing down oranges, 

 every one of which has to be torn from the tree, or it de- 

 cays without falling. The cavities of the guadua often 

 contain water. It is erroneously believed that the quan- 

 tity increases and diminishes with the phases of the moon. 

 Stones are said also to be found in these joints. This 

 might be expected, but I never found an authentic instance, 

 and doubt the fact. The only Instance believed to occur 

 under my own observation was certainly false, as the stone 

 was an ordinary one. I must state one other thing about 

 the guadua which is unusual in the vegetable kingdom here, 

 but very common at the North. It is apt to take entire 

 possession of the ground on which it grows. Now a square 

 mile. covered with the same species, say a pine, an oak, or 

 the beecn, an acre covered with the same species of grass 

 or whortleberry or other plant, is no uncommon thing at the 

 North, but in the tropics it is quite different. Plants 

 are not gregarious here, still less exclusive. I have seen 

 the guava grow in natural orchards where most of the trees 

 in a considerable space were Psidlum, but even this is 

 rare, and in general you cannot expect, where you have 

 found a plant you want, to find others of the same species 

 near it. If I wish to find a second lime-tree, for in- 

 stance, it is of no more use to look in the neighborhood 

 where I found the first than in any other. But a guadual 

 is a considerable space, almost always near a stream, where 

 scarce the smallest intruding plant is permitted. The 

 guadua might be cultivated to great profit, but I never 

 knew of but one attempt at it. The flower and seeds are so 

 rare that few botanists have ever seen them." (Holton, New 

 Granada, pp. 109-110.) 



Baryxylum dubium (Spreng. ) Pierre. (Caesalplniaceae . ) 

 42325. Seeds from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Presented by 

 Sr. Benlto J. Carrasco, Director, Botanic Gardens. A hand- 

 some ornamental tree with mimosa-like foliage and strik- 

 ing yellow flowers arranged in huge panicles. It Is closely 

 related to the Royal Polnciana ana vies with it in beauty 

 of flower and foliage. 



Herberts hookeri viridis Schneider . (Berberldaceae . ) 42185. 

 Seeds from Kew, England. Presented by Sir David Prain, 

 Director, Royal Botanic Gardens. Described as a useful 

 evergreen barberry. 



Cannabis sativa L. (Moraceae.) 42166. Seeds from Yoko- 

 hama, Japan. Purchased from the Yokohama Nursery Company. 

 "Tochigi (pronounced to-ching-ee) hemp is regarded as the 

 best fiber producing hemp in Japan. It is cultivated most 



