92 Scientific Intelligence. 



short time previous to this, an extensive collection of all the 

 approved varieties of cane then accessible was brought together, 

 and this has been enlarged from time to time, until the sorts now 

 have a very wide range. 



From the outset, a good deal of attention was paid to the 

 acquisition of the best kinds of other useful plants, especially 

 those which are adapted to the tropics or those northern plants 

 which can be made to grow more luxuriantly in very warm 

 regions. The establishment was so fortunate as to secure early 

 the services of Mr. C. G. Pringle, as botanical collector. He has 

 devoted much time, with good success, to the selection and for- 

 warding of desirable species from Mexico. 



By the end of last year, the number of species had increased 

 so considerably that a new and thoroughly stalled superintendent 

 was placed in charge of the grounds. Mr. Robert M. Grey, the 

 new superintendent, is widely and favorably known as an accom- 

 plished hybridizer. He has had placed at his disposal ample 

 facilities for prosecuting his experiments in many directions. 



The principal directions of these researches are the following : 



(1) Securing the best varieties of cane, by selection and by 

 seeds. In this part of the work, the fullest opportunity is given 

 for the prompt and exact determination in the chemical labora- 

 tory of the station, of the sugar-content. Some of the more 

 interesting results have already been published. 



(2) Selection and improvement of cotton, ricinus, pineapple, 

 etc., with definite relation to the resistant power of the varieties. 



(3) The cultivation of the line of vegetables demanded by the 

 "large estates, and finding also a ready market in the cities. This 

 line of study has proved useful and is likely to be more and more 

 highly appreciated by the smaller cultivators with limited capital. 

 This series of studies is placed on an exact basis with regard to 

 cost and profit, in order that the results may be a safe guide to 

 the small farmers and gardeners. 



One of the most useful functions of the station has been to 

 show the necessity of extreme caution in entering on large plant- 

 ings of certain plants which have relentless enemies in the neigh- 

 borhood, for instance, as a special case, cotton of the usual sorts. 



The station was visited winter before last by Mr. J. C. Willis, 

 director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Perideniya, Ceylon, 

 who has aided us much by his advice. From many sources most 

 generous cooperation has been obtained, and the interesting 

 experiment is now fairly in hand. To indicate somewhat more 

 fully the general nature of the enterprise, I select portions from 

 the latest report of Mr. Grey, which refer especially to the sugar 

 cane, caladiums, pineapples and ricinus. 



9. Report of the Harvard Botanical Station in Cuba for the 

 Month of May, 190 Jf ; by Robert M. Grey. — The meteorological 

 observations for the month are as follows : temperature max., 

 day 91°, min. 73°; night 76° and 64°; humidity of the atmos- 

 phere 85° to 100°; rainfall 18*04", for May, 1903, 8*14". 



