SECTIONS OF FOODS AND TEXTILES. 167 



such as valuable timber, cochineal, vanilla beans, and the commoner fruits, as ban- 

 anas, pineapples, oranges, etc. Among the important productions, the beautiful 

 sea-island cotton need only be mentioned. The first bale of long staple cotton was 

 shipped from St. Simons Island, Georgia, in 1788. Of other textiles, tropical and sub- 

 tropical, America has furnished an abundance. The streets of London are daily 

 swept with brooms made of the fiber of the piassava palm of Brazil. The pita and 

 jeniquen, and many other fibers come from Mexico and Central America. The 

 trade in fresh meat and hides from South America is already very large, and constantly 

 on the increase. % 



The discovery of America has not only improved, increased, and cheapened the 

 food supply of the world, but it has also, by opening new territory for settlement, 

 relieved the countries of Europe of an increasing burdeD of overpopulation and 

 thereby prevented social changes, wars and revolutions, which the increased struggle 

 for existence would otherwise have brought about. 



ACCESSIONS. 



The following are among the more important accessions received dur- 

 ing the year: 



A specimen of Germanium, a new metal discovered in 1886 by Dr. Clemens Winkler. 



Gift of Dr. C. Winkler, through Prof. F. W. Clarke. (Cat. No. 78072.) 

 Cerium. Gift of Dr. W. F. Hillebrand. (Cat. No. 78073). 

 Lanthanum. Gift of Dr. W. F. Hillebrand. (Cat. No. 78074.) 

 Didymium. Gift of Dr. W. F. Hillebrand. (Cat. No. 78075.) 



These three metals from Dr. Hillebrand are of especial interest, not 

 only because of their purity and compact form, but because they have 

 been the subject of original researches conducted by Hillebrand and 

 Norton in 1875. Specimens of the oxides of the same metals, interest- 

 ing in the same connection, are also credited to Dr. Hillebrand. 



Magnesium, purified by distillation in vacuo. Gift of W. M. Burton. (Cat. No. 78080.) 

 Zinc, purified by distillation in vacuo, in fine crystals. Gift of W. M. Burton. (Cat. 



No. 73081.) 

 Zinc, purified by distillation in vacuo in compact form. Gift of W. M. Burton. (Cat. 



No. 78082.) 



The specimens of magnesium and zinc from Mr. Burton are such as 

 were used by him in recent re-determinations of the atomic weights of 

 these metals. They are all excellent specimens. 



A most valuable collection of fibers from the Hawaiian Islands was 

 received from Mr. Francis Gray, of Kauai, through the kind courtesy 

 and assistance of Prof. H. C. Bolton, when he visited those islands. A 

 list of these fibers, with the native names, is given below. 



Akia, Wickslrccmia fcetida, var. Oahuensis Gr. Used for twine and rope. 



Awapuhi, Zingiber Zerumbet Roscoe . Roots, stems, and leaves. Used only for scent- 

 ing the native bark cloth, "Kapa." 



Hau, Paritium tiliaceum St. Hil. Used for ropes. 



Houa, one of the Urticaceaj, not determined. Used for ropes. 



Mamaki, Pipterus albidus. One of the principal kapa plants. 



Mao, Gossjipiiim tomentosum ~Nntt. The cotton is not used for weaving. The flowers 

 are used for dyeing kapa, and the fiber of the stem for twine. 



Niu, Cocoannt, The fiber is named " Aha-uiu." 



Olona, Touchardia latifolia Gaud. The strongest Hawaiian fiber. Used for fish- 

 lines, nets, etc. 



