(6) 



The interesting screw-pines, natives of the Old World 

 tropics, are illustrated by several species, the leaves of which 

 are used in the manufacture of mats, hats and baskets. 

 These plants are not at all related to pine trees, the latter 

 part of the name referring to the slight resemblance the 

 leaves bear to those of pineapple plants, which are commonly 

 called pines in the tropics, while the remainder of the name 

 was suggested by the spiral arrangement of the leaves. 



In this house may be found large specimens of the aroid 

 family, the most noteworthy one of these being a magnificent 

 plant of Veitch's tail-flower {Anthurium Veitchii), from 

 Colombia, which is believed to be the most elegant plant of 

 its kind in cultivation; climbing on trunks of trees set as sup- 

 ports, will be found a number of vines of the genera Philo- 

 dendron and Monstera, the latter a native of Mexico, pro- 

 ducing an edible fruit with the odor of pineapple. 



A large tree of the common rubber plant, much grown in 

 parlors, may be found in the center of this house, reaching to 

 the roof; this is a native of tropical Asia and yields some 

 rubber, but not in as great quantity nor of as good quality as 

 the other rubber trees of South and Central America; it is a 

 species of fig {Fiats elastica) ; other species of Ficus are 

 shown in this house, notably a fine tree of Roxburgh's fig, 

 which bears its inedible fruit in bunches near the base of the 

 tree, and a specimen of the Banyan tree {Ficns benghalensis) . 

 Chocolate trees {Theobroma Cacao), native of tropical 

 America, may be found near the western door of this house; 

 the small white flowers are produced on the trunk and on 

 branches, and a few of them develop into the large woody 

 pods containing the seeds or chocolate beans, which are dried 

 and ground up into chocolate and cocoa; specimens illustrat- 

 ing the chocolate industry will be found in the economic 

 museum. The papaya, or papaw, also of tropical America, 

 is illustrated by a tall tree in the middle of this house; its 

 fruit, esteemed as an aid to digestion, is borne just under the 

 crown of leaves. A specimen of the bread-fruit tree {Arto- 

 carpns incisa) may also be seen here; originally from the 



