55 



rains is quite insufficient in California and in the arid region generally. 

 It takes fully twice the thickness mentioned, and preferably more, to 

 afford protection against the drought and heat lasting five or six 

 months at a stretch. Here again we find an important point in which 

 our practice must differ from that of the East and of the Old World. 



The beneficial effects of summer fallow in California are assuredly 

 due quite as much to the conservation of moisture brought about by 

 the tilled surface layer, as by the weathering of the soil to which the 

 efficacy of the fallow is commonly ascribed. Witness the fact that 

 weeds come up freely on summer-fallow as late as August, when 

 unplouged land is as bare as a barn floor. 



Similarly on our mostly new and unexhausted lands, the bad effects 

 of weed growth are doubtless due fully as much to the waste of moisture 

 going on through their leaves as to the competition with the crop in 

 plant food. Hence all good orchardists are very careful about keeping 

 their ground clean in summer ; but it must not be forgotten that by 

 doing so they quickly deplete their lands of vegetable matter, which 

 requires systematic replacement if production is to continue normally. 

 Yet of the two evils, the loss of moisture is more to be dreaded, and 

 very generally in practice the more difficult to remedy. 



THE JUNIPER CEDAR OF JAMAICA.* 



Until comparatively recently some doubts have existed concerning 

 the species of Juniperus found in the island of Jamaica and in the 

 Bermudas respectively ; and there has been a corresponding difference 

 of opinion as to the nomenclature to be adopted. The difficulties of 

 the case were primarily due to the absence from our herbaria, until 

 quite lately, of any modern specimens of the tree native to Jamaica. 

 Another source of confusion has arisen from the polymorphism so 

 constantly presented by certain species of juniper, etc., thus there 

 are the linear primordial leaves, which are free at the base, and 

 spreading and there are the adult leaves, closely appressed, ovate, 

 acute, convex, and often glandular at the back. Between these two 

 forms are others, intermediate in form, according to the age of the 

 shoot and its rate of growth. A particular tree or more frequently 

 a particular branch, may, as is well known, produce only primordial, 

 spreading leaves, or only imbricate scale-like leaves ; or, again, both 

 forms may co-exist on the same branch with or without intermediate 

 forms 



The reoeipt of excellent specimens of the Bermuda juniper through 

 the kindness of Mr. Haycock, as well as of equally satisfactory speci- 

 mens of the Jamaica species with which I have been favoured by Mr. 

 Fawcett, induces me to offer a few remarks on the history and position 

 of the two trees. 



In the first place, it is obvious from the comparison of the specimens 

 from the two islands that the Bermuda tree, generally called Junipe- 

 rus bermudiana, is quite distinct, alike from the species growing on 



* Extract from Article on The Bermuda Juniper and its Allies by Dr. ML 

 T. Masters, in Journal of Botany, Jan., 1899. 



