40 PACIFIC STATES I'LOUAL CONGRESS. 



coast, and I am uot aware of its being in the market yet. P. Humili, 

 another introduction from South Africa, is a dwarf, height about fifteen 

 feet, with leaves about ten feet long, a glaucous mass, a gem. Those 

 two are very suitable for formal planting. P. liupicola, though a lit- 

 tle tender, should be planted, as it is very graceful, and has a distinct 

 character and beauty of its own. The date can be grown pretty gen- 

 erally over southern California, and I think north of San Francisco, in 

 selected places. The best dates I have seen were eight miles below 

 Yuma, on the Colorado Eiver. They are about thirty years old, and 

 produce fruit abundantly, some of the bunches weighing fifty pounds. 



Cocos. Of this family we grow about twenty-seven varieties, all 

 except Weedliana in the open garden, and consider them the most satis- 

 factory family we have. The Australia type, of which we have four- 

 teen varieties, will do well under any conditions that will suit the date. 

 I hope to see them more generally planted as they become better known. 

 The Plumosa type is not quite so hardy, but all succeed well here. 

 C. Plumosa will make a plant from ten to twelve feet high in five years. 

 I know no other palm so fast-growing. Some of the other varieties of 

 the same type as C. Plumosa are equally as good growers, and much 

 prettier. C. Botryophora, C. Flexuosa, and C. Datall, in the order 

 named, I prefer to Plumosa. C. Datall is undoubtedly the hardiest of 

 the lot. It holds its foliage well through the winter; the others are apt 

 to brown a little. 



Howea, of this beautiful family of palms, we grow four varieties. 

 They are all a little tender, but with care for the first two years after 

 planting will succeed. H. Fosteryana seems to be the most hardy. 

 There are plants of this variety about ten years old in Montecito, over 

 ten feet high, and are exceedingly pretty and graceful. H. Belmoreana, 

 H. Canterburyana, are equally pretty, but our plants are still small 

 yet. H. McAurtheri is a tall, slim trunk variety that promises to be 

 very graceful, and will be a conspicuous feature in any well-arranged 

 group. 



Areca. Of this class we have tried quite a number. A. Bauri and 

 A. Sapeda are the only ones that have proved hardy; those two do 

 remarkably well here. A. Verschafelti does fairly well! I would not 

 Jcommend it for general planting; no others of this family have suc- 

 ceeded with me. 



Acanthophcenix Alexandria with us is perfectly hardy; ripens its 

 eed and makes a very striking effect. A. Cunninghamea is equally 

 hardy, but a much more graceful habit, and produces fine specimens in 

 a few years. It is very desirable wherever it can be grown 



Chanm-ops are probably the most hardy of all the families of palms, 

 and seem quite at home here, making beautiful groups. 



