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some were shedding their spores In bluish-green clouds. This 

 species, has been named several times from South America, 

 where It grows best and is sometimes eaten by the natives. Its 

 northern limit is Ohio, where it goes under the name of Lepiota 

 Morgani and is considered somewhat poisonous. The green 

 spores are very characteristic. 



Beyond a little glass house filled with delicate ferns I saw a 

 laborer mowing the rough grass and stopped for a moment to 

 watch him work. His scythe was short and very broad, and 

 fixed to a long upright handle, which allowed him to stand 

 upright while mowing. I noticed that he stopped to whet as 

 often as laborers usually do, but we must remember the climate 

 and the peculiar toughness of this particular grass. A large, 

 well-filled water-jar reposed under a tree nearby. The tamancos 

 he wore protected only his toes, and every few minutes a pebble 

 or a thorn would have to be removed from some sensitive place 

 between the flapping soles and the moving heels. A little plant 

 which served for grass and did not require mowing was planted 

 very generously throughout the grounds, especially In deeply 

 shaded places. It Is a very dark green, densely tufted, and has 

 narrow, ribbon-like leaves resembling those of Crocus or Nar- 

 cissus. I must get some of It for our greenhouses, because I am 

 sure It would make an excellent bedding plant for the bases of 

 palms and for spaces between trees that are planted out, being 

 larger and darker than any we now have for this purpose. 



But the trees In this famous old garden — -who shall describe 

 them! I am fond of trees and have watched them all my life, 

 but I can not do these justice. The whole garden Is really a 

 grove of wonderful trees. The royal palms alone would make a 

 story. There are many of them, — some planted in long avenues 

 and others scattered ,^ — -and most of them over lOO feet high. 

 The parent of them all, now 130 feet in height, was planted by 

 King John VI, founder of the garden, on June 13, 1808. Mango 

 and breadfruit trees are likewise abundant, the latter loaded with 

 Immense, rough fruits which keep falling and decaying, leaving 

 behind masses of whitish seeds. Then there are great clumps 

 of bamboos, rows of traveler's trees, royal polncianas, acacias, 

 and trees that furnish rubber, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cam- 

 phor, and other products too numerous to mention. I shall 

 visit the garden again on my return here In March, when I shall 



