 elusters of orange-red flowers. The city 3 
Porto Rico 37 
island from Africa at an early date, in all probability as 
food for the negro slaves, who took the place of the ab- 
original Indians exterminated through the persecution 
by the Spaniards. 
Between my first and second visits I added consider- 
able material from various sources to my notes on island 
vegetation, and I have amplified them since from her- 
arium material in the National Museum; chiefly from 
the collections of Mr. George P. Goll, who accompanied 
Mr. O. F. Cook and Mr. Guy N. Collins, of the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture, on their expedition to the 
island in 1899;* as well as from the report of Professor 
L. M. Underwood, who, together with Mr. Robert F. 
Griggs, accompanied them on a second visit in 1901. 
Before my second visit, in the summer of 1898, a fine “ 
military road had been constructed across the island — = 
from San Juan to Ponce. I shall never forget my first 
drive from the Playa, where we landed, on the south 
coast of the island, to the city of Ponce. On both sides 
of noha! road there were lines: ificent flamboyant 
trees (Poinciana regia) in full eens Ye sot 
ies are called fire trees; and the name is well chosen 
for their spreading crowns seemed fairly blaze wit 
: : favorably, with its clean Late its” — p 
: Spani mm E 
their patios 
