,30 PALMS. 



has been taken for a liybrid of Phoenix canariensis with 

 Phoenix (ituiylifera, an unproved hypothesis. The fruits 

 are black, and as Dr. Fritz Mader tells me, taste like 

 plum jam. About 50 kilos of fruit ripen ^'earl^- on this 

 one tree, and as these become pure black the name of 

 Phoenix nielanocarpa has been proposed for it. 



In the winter ol ISQO — 1 the cnllivated Palms of 

 the Riviera had to stand a severe test as the thermometer 

 sank for se\'eral hours to six decrees below zero. Be- 

 sides the common and the Canar\' Palm (Phoenix ca?ia- 

 riensis), the Californian PriicJiardia filifera, the Austra- 

 lian Pivisfona ausiralis, and the Chinese CJianiaerops ex- 

 cehd sho\\ed most resistance to the cold. It is not sur- 

 prising that the Dwarf Palm (Chaiuaerops hitniilis) should 

 flourish at Bordighcra, since it belongs to the Medite- 

 ranean flora: it is our onh' European Palm, being indige- 

 nous in Sicil)' and southern Ital\-. Chamaerops used 

 formerly to be found wild in isolated spots between Nice 

 and Mentone, but has now disappeared from them. In 

 Algeria this Palm covers large tracts of land. An attempt 

 was made to eradicate it there so as to cultivate the 

 ground. Now however it is being caretulh- propagated. 

 From a troublesome weed it has come to be regarded as 

 an important economic plant. For alter suitable treat- 

 ment the leaves of the Dwarf Palm ■\-ield very elastic 

 fibres which are used, like horse-hfiir, for upholstering 

 furniture and for mattresses. In point of cheapness the^- 

 have the advantage over horse-hair, and moreover are 

 not attacked by moths. Whereas Palms of the genus 

 Phoenix have pinnate fronds, those of the Pritchardias, 



