26€ [Assembly 



COFFEE. 



Ouglit to be introduced among us ; and the Guava, tliat excel- 

 lent fruit, yielding more fruit than any other. Its jelly is known 

 and loved all over the world. The tree will flourish in our 

 southern country. 



Lime Tree. — The companion of guava and orange. 



Citrm. — Some trees are ever green, but this tree is ever bearing. 



Gooseberry tree, nutmeg, bamboo, cane, India rubber, Kaya- 

 poote oil tree, black gum varnish tree, grapes which we have not, 

 the joint grass. 



Mr. D. J. Browne said that the jack, coffee and India rubber 

 will not flourish in Florida, and probably not in any section of 

 our country, unless perhaps in Texas. 



Chairman. — The mule is a hybrid^ generated between the ass 

 and the mare — two different species of animals. Of course, the 

 mule partakes of the qualities of both horse and ass, to a certain 

 extent. A few old naturalists used to maintain that tliey were 

 originally the same animal ; that the latter was a degeneracy from 

 the former J that they were an uglier animal, neglected by man, 

 and suffered to run wild; and that they gradually acquired, in 

 their wild state, all the marks and deformities which distinguish 

 them. This doctrine is now abandoned, and from careful exami- 

 nations, they are considered distinct races. The external and 

 internal conformations of the two are entirely different. Another 

 and perhaps more conclusive proof is that the mule is sterile and 

 will not propagate its kind and continue its race. 



Heuce some naturalists have thought it immoral to propagate 

 them In a different way, as contrary to the laws of nature. Asses 

 are found wild in most hot climates near and within the tropics, 

 and in some places in great numbers, in South America, Asia and* 

 Africa, the ancients used them for the same purpose as the mod- 

 erns as beasts of burden, hardy, patient, and living on little food ' 

 and thiit of tile commonest kind. The animal is mentioned in the 

 Bible and in several works of ancient history, but the mule is hard- 

 ly notic-.d, they existed probably, but to a very limited extent, to 



