18 



Mhus copallina, Linn. — This is a dwarf tree the bark of 

 which is used for tanning purposes, and a resin is also obtained 

 from it. 



Sapota achras, Miller. " Sapodilla Plum." — This tree is a 

 native of South America and the West Indies, a tree of the 

 species has been growing in the Gardens for many years, it 

 flowers abundantly, but has never set a single fruit, it is little 

 more than a shrub, while I understand that in tropical countries 

 it attains the size of a large tree, it is quite possible, therefore, 

 that this plant which certainly belongs to the Order Sapotaceae 

 may not be the true S. achras. Another tree which we re- 

 ceived as Carolinea alba has borne fruit this season and proves 

 to be the true S. achras, and is very different to the one we have 

 had under that name. This tree bore several fruits during the 

 year which were not gathered until somewhat over ripe. It 

 will be a valuable addition to our list of fruit-bearing trees, 

 and in other countries the fruit is said to be delicious. The 

 sap of the tree is said to yield gutta-percha, and the bark to be 

 astringent and febrifugal, the seeds also are aperient and 

 diuretic. 



Several years ago a species of grass made its appearance in 

 the Gardens, and we were quite unable to discover its origin, 

 but as we had received many packets of unnamed grasses from 

 different correspondents we came to the conclusion that this 

 was one of them whose seeds had lain long in the ground with- 

 out germinating, and had therefore been abandoned, it proved 

 eventually to be a tall and very handsome grass, and when in 

 flower is very ornamental, some of it was given to a horse who 

 ate it with avidity, but I think that it will be found to be of 

 the most use in fixing loose soil such as on railway banks, &c, 

 as the roots penetrate deeply into the ground and form a dense 

 mass, so that it will be difficult to eradicate when once it has 

 obtained a firm hold of the soil, as a fodder grass it will only 

 be available in the summer, as it dies down in the winter, 

 growing again from the roots in the spring when it will yield a 

 heavy crop. A dried specimen of it was sent to a continental 

 botanist who took it to be a species of Euchlaena and therefore 

 related to E. luxurians the " Teosinte " which is often extolled 

 as a forage plant, but on specimens being sent to Kew, and 

 further examined here, it proves to be a native grass known as 

 Andropogon halepensis, Brot, var effusus Stapf and it is now 

 figured and described in Natal plants, Vol. 2, Plate 119, where 

 it is said of it. 



Baron F. v. Mueller says of this grass. " Attains a height 

 of 5 to 6 feet. Not easily repressed in moist ground. A rich 

 perennial grass, often cultivated under the name of " Cuba 

 grass" and " Johnson grass." It keeps green in the 



