418 OEIGIN OF CULTIVATED PLANTS. 



on sloping ground and in poor soils where other crops 

 cannot flourish. It corresponds in tropical agriculture to 

 the vine in Europe and tea in China. 



Further details may be found in the volume published 

 by H. Welter ^ on the economical and commercial history 

 of coffee. The author adds an interesting chapter on 

 the various fair or very bad substitutes used for a com- 

 modity which it is impossible to overrate in its natural 

 condition. 



Liberian Coffee — Coffea liherica, Hiern.^ 



Plants of this species have for some years been sent 

 from the Botanical Gardens at Kew into the English 

 colonies. It grows wild in Liberia, Angola, Golungo 

 Alto,^ and probably in several other parts of western 

 tropical Africa. 



It is of stronger growth than the common coffee, and 

 the berries, which are larger, yield an excellent product. 

 The official reports of Kew Gardens by the learned 

 director, Sir Joseph Hooker, show the progress of this 

 introduction, which is very favourably received, especially 

 in Dominica. 



Madia — Madia sativa, Molina. 



The inhabitants of Chili before the discovery of 

 America cultivated this annual species of the Composite 

 family, for the sake of the oil contained in the seed. 

 Since the olive has been extensively planted, the madia 

 is despised by the Chilians, who only complain of the 

 plant as a weed which chokes their gardens.* The 

 Europeans began to cultivate it with indifferent success, 

 owing to its bad smell. 



The madia is indigenous in Chili and also in Cali- 

 fornia.^ There are other examples of this disjunction of 

 habitation between the two countries.^ 



* H, Welter, Essai sur VHistoire du Cafe, 1 vol. 8vo, Paris, 1868. 



■ In Hiem, Trans. Linn. 8oc., 2nd series, vol. i. p. 171, pi. 24. This 

 plate is reproduced in the Eeport of the Royal Botanical Gardens at 

 Kew for 1876. 



» Oliver, FI. Trop. Afr., iii. p. 181. 



* CI. Gay, Fl. Chilena, iv. p. 268. 



• Asa Gray, in Watson, Bot. of California, i. p. 359. 



• A. de Candolle, Geogr. Bot. Rais., p. 1047. 



