44 



NOTES ON INTERESTING CONTRIBUTIONS. 



Kikuyu Clover, (Trifolium Johnsoni, Oliver.) 



Sir W. T. Dyer, Director of the R. Gardens, Kew, sends seeds of 

 a white clover collected by Mr. A. White in the Kikuyu district of the 

 British East African Protectorate. Mr. Whyte states that it was gath- 

 ered in rich siiort pastures at an elevation 6,500 feet, and that he be- 

 lieves it will prove most useful in other tropical and sub-tropical coun- 

 tries. It is nearly allied to the white or " Dutch " clover (Trifolium 

 repens) which grows wild in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. 



Soudan Water Lily. 



Sir W. T. Dyer also sends seeds of a large Water Lily from Bahr 

 el Zerat in the Soudan, the flowers of which are said to be eight inches 

 in diameter. 



Bergamont Orange. (Citrus Aurantium, var. Bergamia, W. and A.) 



Messrs. Damman, of Naples, forwarded a small case of Bergamot 

 Oranges. A consignment iu a former year was unsuccessful, as not a 

 ieed grew. We have also had seeds from Kew in the dry state which 

 did not germinate. The seed evidently cannot last long. If unsuccess- 

 ful, growing plants will be imported. Mr. J. C. Sawer, author of 

 " Odorographia, a Natural History of Raw Materials and Drugs used in 

 the Perfume Industry," wrote to the Director of Public Gardens some 

 time ago that this variety of Citrus should be cultivated in preference 

 to any other, as the essential oil of the rind was very valuable. 



Juniperus communis (Juniper.) 



Seeds received from Messrs. Damman. This Juniper grows in 

 Europe, N. Africa, N. Asia, and N. America. The oil distilled from 

 the unripe fault is used medicinally, as it possesses carminative, stimu- 

 lant, and diuretic properties. Formerly the berries were used as a 

 spice in food. A spirit of which wormwood was an ingredient, 

 was obtained from them by fermentation and distillation. This spirit 

 called in French 1 Genievre ' became known in English as i Geneva ' 

 a name subsequently contracted into 1 Gin.' " It is said that the famous 

 quality of Westphalian hams is partly obtained through their being sub- 

 jected to the smoke of juniper wood. 



ERYTHEA KDULI8. 



This Fan Palm is native on the island of Guadalupe off the coast 

 of California ; seeds received from Messrs. Reasoner, Florida. It at- 

 tains a height of 40 feet with bunches of fruit u* feet in length and 

 weighing 50lbs. The fruits are as large as plums, and the outer portion 

 is edible. 



