Geology and Natural History. 93 



During the month of May the temperature has been below 

 normal, usually ranging between 82° and 87°, never above 90° 

 during the hottest part of the day. The mornings and evenings 

 have been cool and pleasant with a fine breeze, south to southeast 

 winds prevailing. The barometer has been steady, ranging from 

 29*87" to 29*90". The humidity of the atmosphere has been 

 greater than for the month previous. 



The rainfall for the month has been abnormally large. A 

 heavy storm of May 1st lasted about twenty hours, during which 

 time 5*50" fell, swelling the arroyas and streams to an enormous 

 height, washing out some of the spring planting, and causing 

 much extra work in the garden, which suffered severely. The 

 stream rose eight feet, carrying away some of our botanical 

 plants, which were situated along its margin, and many choice 

 lilies, besides the represser and one bridge. Another severe rain- 

 storm of 4-04" visited us on May 7, causing a still greater flood,, 

 ruining completely bridges, walks and nearly everything along 

 the water course, including our stock Platinal of about ten varie- 

 ties, some pineapples, fancy caladiums, a part of the tea, Liberian 

 coffee, cocoa, callas, etc. 



.... Special effort is devoted to propagating, weeding, clean- 

 ing and planting shrubbery in our new nursery. We already 

 have a fair lot of laurels, crotons, acalyphas, limes, and about 

 five hundred roses planted out, and much small stock of various 

 kinds which will be transferred later. 



The sudden change from dry to wet weather has caused black 

 spot among a few things, such as roses, lettuce, and other stock. 



Among the quantities of sugar cane seeds sown this season 

 (over four hundred heads) we have had very poor results. Probably 

 not more than eight or ten seeds in all germinated, and, except- 

 ing a single plant, which is still too young to determine positively,, 

 these have all died. The remaining one is making a good growth. 

 It came up among seeds of Crystallina collected among the Cinta 

 in the " Chino " and without artificial hybridization. A small 

 portion, each of one hundred heads, was selected and planted 

 together in our small Platinal (since injured by water). The 

 plant germinated about April 27. It has grown rapidly and is 

 now about four inches high, with three fairly characteristic leaves. 



I am of the opinion that Cuba is the northern boundary where 

 sugar cane produces flowers, and it therefore seldom perfects 

 seeds of good germinating power in Florida and Louisiana : very 

 little farther north it does not even flower. The flowers on our 

 cane here are perfect and the seeds in many cases reach normal 

 size and appear good, but are very soft and delicate. They are, 

 however, a month later than in the more southern warmer islands 

 and thus do not always have the benefit of the late fall rains to 

 perfect them; no doubt, however, in a succession of years we 

 shall occasionally find favorable seasons in which better luck may 

 attend our efforts. 



