Pomona College Journal of Economic Botany 



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pests which occur in this state, such as the aphids, scale insects, thrips and 

 leaf-eating beetles, etc. 



Leaving Escuintla about the last of July we started back over the Tan 

 American Railway for the Tehuantepec Isthmus territory where we spent a 

 day collecting. This region is quite barren in comparison to the luxuriantly 

 wooded southern part. From San Geronimo, state of Oaxaca, we went 

 across the Isthmus to the state of Vera Cruz, stopping next at Medias Aguas. 

 Here we found a very interesting country, distinctly tropical in its floral 

 and faunal life and yet more mild in its climate than the state of Chiapas. 

 We had an opportunity at this place to see the Castilloa rubber tree growing 

 in a more northern latitude than in Chiapas, and in fact the difference could 

 be readily seen in its slower growth. The insect fauna was very varied and 

 the collecting good. Orchids and palms were quite numerous and varied. 

 The rubber tree borer of Chiapas was not found here, although there were 

 occasional decaying spots which usually are very attractive to such insects. 



Santa Lucrecia, the junction of the Vera Cruz al Istmo and National Te- 

 huantepec lines, was the next point visited, but for only one day. Although 

 this is a proverbially hot locality, still the insects seem to thrive as well as at 

 any other place. The topography here, however, was not enough different 

 from Medias Aguas to warrant a longer stay. 



Our next stop was in the city of Vera Cruz, from which we took several 

 short side trips into the country districts within fifteen or twenty miles of the 

 city. An hour's ride over the Vera Cruz and Isthmus line brought us to a 

 very good locality for collecting both insects and palms. Some time was spent 

 in collecting certain marine material near the large breakwater. With the 

 intention of returning to this place again at a later date, we left by way of 

 the Mexican railway for Cordoba. This we found to be a very beautiful and 

 rich locality with a very delightful climate. The soil is equalled in fertility 

 by only a few places in other parts of the Republic, but the production is by 

 no means proportionately rich, the reason for which, no doubt, is the lack of 

 advancement in the native farmer. However, some of the best mangoes in 

 the Republic are to be had here, as well as pineapples and some other varieties 

 of fruit. 



From Cordoba we went directly to Orizaba, which is situated in a fair sized 

 valley considerably higher than Cordoba. This also is a very rich locality, a 

 little less rolling than Cordoba and with very deep alluvial soil in most places. 

 Some very good collecting was done on the verdant and well-wooded hill and 

 mountain-sides. 



On our way to Puebla from Orizaba we stopped one day at a small village- 

 called Maltrata, situated in a high valley above Orizaba. A great difference 

 was noted in the relative fertility of this place and the one last visited. This 

 soil lacked humus and seemed to be very unproductive in most sections, al- 

 though in a few places there were some flourishing groves of various sorts. 

 Going on to Puebla still by way of the Mexican railway we continued to pass 



