228 JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1321. 



in hopes before this vessel sails of being able to send you a volume 

 of Agricultural proceedings from the Sumatran press. I do not 

 know that you will find much to interest you in it, but it will give 

 you an idea of what we are about here, and will show you the 

 nourishing condition of our spice cultivation, which we find to be 

 now equal to the supply of Great Britain. There is a paper on it 

 by Lumsdaine 274 where you will find some curious remarks on the 

 "rapturous impulses" of these hot blooded trees! Lumsdaine 

 generally writes very much to the point, but is often very quaint 

 in his expressions. — The first Report is perhaps the most readable 

 part of the Vol. but you will perhaps wonder what the J) — 1 it 

 has to do witli Agriculture. In fact our Agricultural Society 

 allows itself great latitude, and it lias need, for the agriculture 

 (strictly speaking) of Bencoolen might he discussed in a few 

 words. 



Of the fascicle \<>. 2. I sent you the first three sheets before 

 my departure for Nias; 1 now send the whole corrected and with 

 additions from further observation. The part printed after my 

 departure is full of errors. 



Of Didymocarpus 1 have since discovered three additional 

 species I), racemosa, D. elongata, and D. barbata. 275 I thought I 

 had other two. but on lately finding their fruit I find it baccati, 

 they must therefore belong to Oyrtandra. In I), barbata I have 

 fully ascertained the seeds to he pendulous. 



I have also discovered here Incarvillea parasitica Eoxb., 27 ' J 

 but. without the fully ripe fruit. The seeds however do not seem 

 to be winged and Roxb. does not say that they are. An ergo 

 Nicarvillea ?. It differs too much in habit to be a true Didy- 

 mocarpus ; what then is it to be. an novum genus oh stamina sub- 

 ex serta ? 



To Ixora pendula. I have now to add Ixora neriifolia. a very 

 marked species. 277 



I have very lately found a new and very distinct Tacca with 

 palmate leaves. 27S 



I found Acrotrema which you may recollect pronouncing a 

 Saxifragoideaster, 279 at Tappanooly with fruit further advanced 



274. James Lumsdaine, See note No. 127 on p. 181. 



275. All these were described by Jack in his paper published post- 

 humously, in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. The 

 first stands; the second is now transferred to the genus Didissandra as D. 

 elongata (vide note No. 256 p. 221 above) ; and the third is transferred to 

 the genus Chirita becoming C. Horsfieldii, E. Br. 



276. Aeschynanthus grandiora, Spreng. But Jack probably mis- 

 identified his plant. 



277. Ixora neriifolia was described by Jack in the Malayan Mis- 

 cellanies, ii. (1822) No. 7, p. 82. I. pendula. from Penang, had been 

 described in vol. i. (1821), No. 5, p. 11. 



278. This Tacca was never described. 



279. Poetaster — a poor sort of poet: Saxifragoideaster — a poor Saxi- 

 fragedike thing. Jack evidently found it first in Penang. 



Jour. Straits Branch 



