290 AccUmatioJi of Troj>ical Plants. 



certain extent in our country; but anew mode of chemical 

 process, and knowledge of facts connected with scientific in- 

 quiries may revive them with more purity, and render them 

 a lucrative article of commercial exports. Such observations 

 would more properly include the indigo plant ; likewise the 

 madder plant (i^ubia tinctorium) ; the Turkish poppy, (Papa- 

 ver somniferum) ; saffron plant, (Crocus s^tivus) ; olive tree, 

 (O^lea europae^a) ; tea plant, {T/iea viridis) ; coffee plant, 

 {Coffea arabica) ; sago plant. (Cycas revoluta) ; black pepper, 

 (Piper nigrum) ; nutmeg, (Myristica officinalis) ; Mahogany 

 tree, (Swietenm Mahagojii) ; the banana and plantain, (Musa 

 paradisiaca, and M. sapientum) ; papaAV tree (Carica papaya) ; 

 Mammee tree, (JMammea americana) ; date palm, cocoa-nut 

 tree; likewise the Teak-tree {Tecthna grandis) which could 

 be introduced and rendered valuable. The sugar cane (ilrundo 

 saccharifera) is gradually improving in the amount of saccha- 

 rine matter contained in its annual cuttings, and, since its in- 

 troduction and cultivation in the southern portion of our coun- 

 try, its joints have become more extensively filled with the 

 saccharine juice, and it will not be long before it will yield 

 equal to that cultivated in the West India islands, constitu- 

 tionally adapting itself to regions farther north. I am, dear 

 sir, respectfully yours, Augustus Mitchell. 

 Portland^ Maine, June, 1847. 



Our thanks are again due to General Dearborn for the com- 

 munication of Dr. Mitchell's paper. The subject is one of deep 

 interest to our agriculturists, and the suggestions of Dr. Mitch- 

 ell, that the plants of the opposite zones can be cultivated with 

 success in the southern portion of the country, are undoubt- 

 edly correct. It only wants some zealous cultivators to feel 

 an interest in the matter to make a full trial of the kinds he 

 names. The lamented Dr. Perrine, who labored so long in 

 this great object, had just begun to see some of the fruits of 

 his many years devotion to it, when the Florida war com- 

 menced : its long continuation delayed and frustrated his 

 plans, and he finally fell a victim to the ferocity of the sav- 

 ages, who then spread over that part of the territory. Now 

 that there is every opportunity open to prosecute the work, 

 we hope Dr. Mitchell may find friends who will assist him 

 in carrying out his suggestions. — Ed. 



