FIELD AND FOREST. 69 



It is said to attain the height of 20 or 30 feet ; it has been lately 

 asserted that another species has been found in Southern California. 



Belonging to the same class of Endogens, we have in the United 

 States several species of lily-like plants called Yuccas, several of which 

 have an upright woody stem, and attain the size of a small tree ; of 

 these we have in the Southern States and Florida the Yucca gloriosa 

 and Yucca alocifolia ; in western Texas and on the Mexican border 

 we have Yucca treculiana, which is said to attain sometimes a height 

 of 40 feet and a diameter of 12 to 18 inches; in Arizona the Yucca 

 brevifolia or short leaved Yucca, which grows from 10 to 12 feet high 

 frequently with numerous branches. This Yucca in some portions of 

 Arizona covers large areas, and although forming a woody stem, it is 

 of such a fibrous nature that it is said to be almost entirely convertible 

 into paper material. 



In the same region we have Yucca Whippleii and Yucca Baccata, the 

 last of which, although seldom forming an erect trunk more than 10 

 feet high, is yet of immense value on account of the nutritious pulp of 

 the fruit, forming as it does a large amount of the food of the natives 

 of the country at some seasons of the year, 



George Vasey. 



Potomac-Side Naturalists' Club. 



Jan. loth, 1876, {igoth meeting.) 



Dr. J. H. Kidder, U. S. N., was elected a member. 



Mr. F. Holden of the Bickmore Museum, in Central Park, New 

 York City, being present, was invited to give some facts respecting 

 that Institution. 



He stated that while the city furnishes the building, the Museum is 

 entirely dependent for support and enlargement upon private sub- 

 scriptions. 



It already embraces collections in various departments of great in- 

 terest and value. The Geological and Mineralogical collection of Dr. 

 Hall has been recently secured at an expense of ^60,000. 



Dr. SchaefiFer called for the relation of any observations made upon 

 the earthquake of the 23d of December. 



