444 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
- Chamaerops humilis, the low native palm of the Mediterranean 
coasts, grows here into a thick bushy tangle from the development of 
an immense number of underground shoots. This is not an uncom- 
mon habit of the plant when growing wild in northern Africa. Phyto- 
lacca dioica has a curious flat table-like formation of its main roots 
or of the lower stem just above the ground line, and from this spring 
a great number of slender vigorous shoots. 
The trees of the garden are not of great age, for the garden itself 
in its present foundation is not very old. Although as early as 1662 
there was here a pharmaceutical garden connected with one of the 
church hospitals, in its present state it was founded in 1809 under 
the auspices of the Bourbon rulers. Its first director was MICHELE 
TENORE, who held the position for fifty years. He was succeeded 
by GuGLIELMO CasparRI (1861-1866) and GrusEPPE ANTONIO 
PASQUALE (1866-1867). In 1893 FREDIRIGO DeELpPINo, formerly 
in Genoa and Bologna, became its director, and he still holds the 
position. TENORE in his long term of fifty years put in train the 
plans which have been largely followed since. The important large 
trees now in the garden are included in a catalogue published in 
1867 by Pasquarr. In many cases he gives the heights of the 
tallest trees, and from his figures we can judge that the growth since 
that time has been strong and normal. With a few exceptions the 
trees are probably none of them much older than one hundred years. 
A few of them have been broken by tempests and one or two are 
stag-headed, but most of them show no signs of abnormal growth. 
They are not well pruned, but in a natural woodland condition that 
is most interesting. 
It is a remarkable collection when one considers how little care 
has been given it. One marvels at the friendliness of the climate 
which has proved congenial to so many strangers. In our own 
country southern California has a somewhat similar type of native 
vegetation and somewhat similar climatic conditions, but even there 
it would hardly be safe to leave such a collection of trees to themselves. 
One feature of importance is the great fertility of the soil in , this 
region, which has been under the influence of civilization for three 
thousand years, and probably a good part of that time under cultiva- 
tion, yet it still yields several harvests a year. 
