124 Director's Aniiual Report. 



rich crown earth inland. The widely distributed genus RottboelUa 

 was represented by a species belonging to the sub-genus Cxelorha- 

 chis. The plant attains a height of ten inches, always growing in 

 isolated bunches on the sand. 



Of the three remaining species, one, a low trailing herb with 

 reddish stems grows abundantly on the open spaces inland. The 

 two other plants, so far as I could find, were represented by one or 

 two individuals each. One, a bush growing six or eight feet high, 

 had its stems thickly covered with short, stiff spines ; the other 

 species bore its asymmetrical leaves in pairs on short petioles which 

 united into a single slender foot stock. The plants found were 

 about six feet in height. The two last mentioned must have been 

 of exceedingly recent introdudlion. 



The Japanese had attempted to grow a number of economic 

 plants, A few bananas were growing in an open space, but they 

 had never fruited ; this was most likely due to a want of sufficient 

 rain; the soil and climate must have been suitable. A few pine- 

 apples had been planted, and the dozen or so plants were barely 

 alive. Tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum Linn., flourished on the rich 

 soil. Leaves twenty inches long and seven inches broad were 

 seen. Perhaps two acres were under cultivation. The Japanese 

 were able to smoke it, but it proved to be of an inferior quality. 

 A cabbage and a species of bean had also been introduced. 



It may be of interest to note for future reference that we gave 

 seeds of the following plants to the Japanese, who offered to plant 

 them: papaya, watermelon, muskmelon, cherry, soursop, rose- 

 apple, turnip, squash, raddish, spinach, cabbage, tomato, bean, 

 corn, algaroba, ironwood, Eucalyptus sp., Cryptomeria japonica 

 and Poind an a regia. 



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