217 
the West Indies addressed the Botanical Convention at the Mu- 
seum on Wednesday, October 21, on the subject of ‘‘ The Cul- 
tivation and History of Sugar Cane.” Sugar cane is perhaps the 
most important economic plant of the tropics, and the methods 
of improvement and standardization of selected varieties were ex- 
* plained at length by the speaker. The discussion is of added 
interest because of the marked success which has attended the 
efforts of the Department of Agriculture for the British West In- 
dies in the development of methods of treatment adapted to pres- 
ent conditions. Sugar cane is unknown in the wild state, but 
has been disseminated westward from India. 
A number of accessions have been made during the past 
month to the palm collection. Two specimens of the large Cali- 
fornia palm, Meorvashingtonia robusta, were presented by Mr. C. 
M. Hyde. These are very fine plants, the largest of this species 
in the collection. From Miss Geraldyn Redmond have been re- 
ceived four palms, one of them an excellent specimen of the date 
palm, Phoenix dactylifera. A large specimen of Acanthorhiza 
aculeata was presented by Miss Mary S. Ames. This plant, in 
its tub, stands about twenty feet high. The large and peculiar 
spines on its trunk give it an unusual appearance. The largest 
plant received was one of Cocos plumosa which was acquired by 
exchange with the Department of Parks, Borough of Manhattan. 
This is a magnificent palm, measuring about fifty feet from the 
base of its trunk, where it has a diameter of about two feet, to 
the apex of the uppermost leaf. It was planted out in the con- 
servatory at Central Park, but becoming too large for that struc- 
ture, was offered to the Garden. The problem of moving it 
was a complicated one, owing to its being planted out, but this 
was satisfactorily solved, and the palm now occupies a command- 
ing position in the large palm house. 
Dr. J. K. Small, curator of the museums, is making some ex- 
plorations and collections in southern Florida, with headquarters 
at Miami, Florida. 
The total precipitation in the Garden during October, 1903 
amounted to 8.98 inches. Of this 6.87 fell in 24 hours ending 
at I1 a. m. on the gth. 
