-lis OEIGIN OF CULTIVATED PLANTS. 



on sloping <;roun(l and in poor soils where other crops 

 cannot flourish. It corresponds in tropical agriculture to 

 the vino in Europe and tea in China. 



Further details may be found in the volume published 

 by H. Welter ^ on the economical and commercial liistory 

 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 liberica, Hiern.^ 

 Plants of this species have for some yeai's been sent 

 from the Botanical Gardens at Kew into the EnHish 



O 



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 

 tlie 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 inditferent success, 

 owinor 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 I'HUtoire dii Caf^, 1 vol. 8vo, Paris, 1868. 



In Hiern, Trans. Linn. .S'oc, 2nd geries, a'oI. i. p. 171, pi. 24. This 

 plate is reproduceJ in the Report of the Rojal Botanical Gardens at 

 Kew for 1876. 



Oliver, Fl. Trop. Afr., iii. p. 181. 

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



Asa Grav, in Watson, Bot. of California, i. p. 359, 

 A. de C uKh.lle, GJoyr. Bot. Rais., p. 1017. 



