THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



109 



ones are about as bad. That forgotten fruit, the genipap, 

 or ''jagua" {Genipa Americana) has an odor which is at 

 first exceedingly repulsive to most persons, but after a few 

 "whiffs" it becomes quite agreeable; this fetidness ac- 

 counts for the unpopularity of such a fine large fruit. The 

 foul smell of the dry pulp of the algarob {Hymenaea cour- 

 baril) also precludes its extensive use as a food. One of 

 our most beautiful cabinet woods, here, cannot be utilized 

 on account of its very disgusting effluvium. In the virgin 

 forest of the interior are found two shrubs whose leaves 

 apparently ought to be safe from insect attacks: when 

 crushed in the hand the leaves of one emit the sickening 

 scent of carbon bisulphide, while those of the other are re- 

 dolent with a strong smell of chlorine gas. 



When the native Indian of the interior cannot see the 

 leaves of a forest tree or is in doubt as to its identity, he 

 chips off a bit of the bark with his machete and settles the 

 question w4th a sniff" or two. As he says, no two trees 

 smell alike ; but I do not understand how he can carry in^ 

 his memory the odors of a hundred or more distinct varie- 

 ties. By the way, several botanists have expressed their 

 opinion that the Porto Rican native has a broader and 

 deeper knowledge of his local flora than is common with 

 natives of other West Indian islands,— which is saying a 

 great deal. 



MayagueZy Porto Rico. 



HINTS FOR BEGINNERS IN THE STUDY OF 

 MUSHROOMS. 



BY MRS. G. M, DALLAS. 



IT is a great pleasure to any lover of nature to wander 

 through the woods or down some shady lane on a 

 bright summer's day, and still more so, if he is fond of the 

 wild flowers and ferns, and loves the study of mushrooms. 

 This term here used, includes all kind of fungi, the gill 

 bearing ones called Agarics, with their bright coloring; 

 the bracket fungi that abound on trees, stumps and fences, 



