490 EEPOET — 1881. 



seven dollars a skin of 30 lbs. In this last condition it is commonly- 

 exported. Althougli this i^roduction is so easily obtained, yet its 

 collection is most precarious, and, indeed, is only resorted to by the 

 inhabitants when, from -want of rain, the pasturage is not sufficient 

 for the cattle and sheep, and thus milk is scarce. In good seasons, 

 when there is abundance of milk, and they are able to make ghi sufficient 

 for their needs, very little aloes is obtained. 



Of other gum-producing trees, a Boswellia yielding a kind of myrrh, 

 the ' Ameero ; ' some Balsamodendrons yielding a poor ' olibanum ; ' and 

 an Odina yielding a false myrrh, may be mentioned, as also an Acacia 

 affijrding a very good gum. 



Of plants striking as having brilliant flowers may be noted the 

 Adenium, from which Aden derives its name ; a tuberous Begonia, which 

 will shortly be introduced into horticulture; a fragant Grimim, species 

 of BuelUa, Jasminum, &c. 



There is, as I have said, no forest on the island, and yet there is one 

 small tree, or large shrub, which may be of some value commercially. 

 It is the ' metayue,' a kind of box-tree, Buxus Hildebraiidti. It was first 

 found by Hildebrandt on the Somali-land hills. It forms a hai'd, compact 

 wood, and, I doubt not, might be used for many of the purposes for 

 which boxwood is so valuable at the present time. It is abundant on 

 the island, and Hildebrandt reported it very common in Somali-land. 

 I did not bring home sufficient specimens to allow of an experimental 

 trial of this as a material for wood-cuts or other purposes. I learn from 

 Dr. Schweinf urth, that he has sent some to Berlin to be tried in this way. 

 Should the wood prove serviceable, it requires no special mention to 

 indicate how valuable this product may become, in view of the exhaustion 

 of the boxwood forests (of which we hear so much) in the S.E. of Europe. 



Many plants are used on the island for the purposes of dyeing. But 

 of these the only one that need be here referred to is the orchella weed, 

 (Bochella tinctoria.) Occurring in abundance, it was formerly exported 

 in great quantity. It is known as ' shennah.' 



Few wild plants yield edible fruits ; the jujube is abundant, and there 

 is the tamarind and the bitter orange. 



Briefly to summarise in gejieral terms our knowledge of the Socotran 

 flora, we may say it is essentially that of a continental island, and presents 

 features indicating a considerable antiquity. The relative proportion of 

 families to genera and of genera to species, is large. Annuals are few 

 in number. In its characteristics it combines those of a dry and arid region 

 with those of a moister and cooler region. Its individuality is great, and 

 its affinities are mainly African, the closeness of relationship amounting 

 to actual identity between many most peculiar and typical plants. And this 

 affinity extends not only into the flora of the adjacent coast- line of Guardafui 

 and Somali-land, of which, unfortunately, our knowledge is at present 

 small, but still farther west into Nubia and Abyssinia, and (increasing 

 tenfold the interest of the floi-a) reaches also southwards through Mada- 

 gascar to the Cape, with the flora of which region there are some strong and 

 very marked connections. Arabian relationships are present in the flora, 

 nearly all the Aden plants being represented ; but, unfortunately, beyond 

 the flora of Aden we know very little of the vegetation of the adjacent 

 Arabian region. Nor are more Eastern affinities wanting, for types of the 

 North Indian region have representatives in the flora. 



Our president, Sir Joseph Hooker, in the able and interesting address 



