a8 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 
I have been asked so many times by people all over the country to give them 
the origin of this marvelous and most wonderful forage and fertilizing plant, 
and from what country it came. I will answer by saying that its presence here 
in Florida can be traced back twenty-five years or more, and it has until 
recently been known among the common people as the ‘‘ Climber.” From 
weight of evidence I unhesitatingly give Florida the credit of being its original 
home. 
During the past year the writer introduced this little wonder in almost every 
civilized country on the globe, and a crop from the seed sent has been grown 
the present season; but from reports received it still remains a stranger to all. 
No one so far as heard from claims to know anything about it. The celebrated 
Kew Gardens, London, grew it the present season as a curiosity. Its vigorous 
growth and wealth of foliage and vine attracted wide and universal attention. 
Every State in the American Union is also putting it to the test. From a 
flood of letters received I learn that, from late planting and early frosts, the 
seed is not maturing in all sections of our country. But as a successful feed, 
forage, and fertilizer crop, it has nothing but praise from every quarter, and 
condemnation from none. Our Government at Washington, recognizing its 
great value to our country at large, bought a carload of seed of the writer last 
July for distribution to the several States of our Union.—Capt. HE. A. Wilson, 
Florida (no town mentioned), in Agricultural Epitomist (Indianapolis, Ind.), 
February, 1899, p. 4. 
From the year 1898, wherever the velvet bean is mentioned, it is 
spoken of as Mucuna utilis, and publications devoted entirely to it 
began to be published, notably the following: 
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 104, “The Velvet 
Bean,” by J. F. Duggar. April, 1899. 
United States Department of Agriculture, Division of Agrostology, Circular 
No. 14, “ The Velvet Bean,” by Jared G. Smith. May, 1899. 
Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 60, “ Velvet Bean,” 
by H. K. Miller. January, 1902. 
Bailey’s Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, volume 2, pages 656-658, 
“Velvet Bean,” by H. H. Hume. 1907. 
THE IDENTITY OF THE FLORIDA VELVET BEAN. 
The original description of Mucuna utilis by Wallich “ is as follows: 
The principal difference of this species, if indeed a species, and J. prurita 
consists in the hairs of its legumes being appressed and almost silky, not erect, 
rigid, and stinging. In all other respects they sufficiently agree. The flowers 
in both are purple. The greater size of this is probably attributable to cultiva- 
tion, in which state only it is known. 
This brief description is accompanied by an excellent plate of the 
plant, natural size, which is herewith reproduced, reduced one-half. 
(See Pl. I.) The identity of this plant of Wallich’s is decidedly ob- 
scure. It is extremely difficult to see how it can be a mere variety of 
Mucuna prurita, as has been held by some authors, and it certainly has 
@Wight. Icones, t. 280. 1842. 
141—IlIlI 
