January i, 1891.I 
THE TR0P1CM= A^RICmTURIST 
479 
The other day, on planting out the seedlings of the 
wood lathyrus in the open ground, I was agreeably 
surprised to note the wonderful development of the 
roots. Some of them were 18iu. long, and some as 
much as 2ft., with a thickness equal to that of an 
ordinary writing quill. This fact coofirms ihe state- 
ment of the director of the Agricultural College, 
that the roots develop aud spread to an uuusual length 
and depth. 
'I'he seed, as I mentioned, was sowm at the end of 
Janu'irjq and the plants were planted out in the com- 
mencement of June. The roots during that time had 
attained an extraordinary length aud thickness. I do 
not think that there are many plants the roots o; which 
in so short a period attain such a remarkable develop- 
ment, I believe that I have at length succeeded in 
introducing a useful forage plant, which, having re- 
gard to its unusual root system, is likely to suit our 
dry climate in an eminent degree. 
I cannot avoid again calling attention to the well- 
known Cocksfoot or Orchard Grass ( Dacti/lis (jlomerata, 
Lino.), and once more recommend it for more extensive 
cultivation than it receives. It is one of the most 
valuable of the gra<^ses for permanent pasture that have 
been introduced into the colony. It is of vigorous 
growth, does well in almost any soil, and is much relished 
by cattle and sheep. It stands both feeding down and 
cutting down, and grows again with groat rapidity. 
It is one of the most prolific grasses and possesses 
considerable nutritious properties, aud is valuable for 
fattening purposes. 
Museum of Economic Botany. — This popular iustitu- 
tiou loses none of its attractiveness, indeed, it is 
always made a favorite place of resort by the visitors 
to the garden. The large and valuable collection of 
exhibits contained in the buildiug has been still further 
extended during the past year. 
The continuous increases of objects in Ihe museum 
makes it evident that we shall soon be much pressed 
for space in which the donations which are constantly 
coming in can be advantageously displayed. It is most 
gratifying to find that the collection forms one of 
the most attractive features of the garden. Visitors 
appear to be much impressed with the interesting 
features of the objects thunselves, as well as with 
their simple and practical arrangement. 
Iho Library has keptpaca with the general extension 
of the objects for which onr institution was established. 
A large addition his been made to the number of 
standard works, both botanical and horticultural, which 
are now available for reference. The latest issues of 
the reports of the Smithsonian lustitue, and the reports 
of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada, 
possess the highest scientific value. The pamphlets is- 
sued by the different botaiiio gardens in botany, es- 
pecially those issued from the Imperial Botanic Gardens 
at St. Petersburg, merit particular notice aud attention. 
^ 
THE COCO-DE-MER IN CULTIVATION. 
With only one exception, the palms of the Seychelles 
have long since proved amenable to cultivation in our 
tropical plant houses. The genera Sievensonia, T~cr- 
schaffollia, Roscheria, Latania, Dictyosiierma, Acanllio- 
2 >ha;iiLv, llyophorbe, aud Chrysalidocarpus, which are 
Iit'culiar to this small group of islands, and which 
rank amongst the noblest of a noble family, are all 
well known in European collections of palms, their 
cultivation presenting no more difficulty than that of 
tropical plants generally. The ooco-de-raer or double 
coco- nut [Lodoicea seychellavum) has, however, so far 
proved unmanageablo under artificial treatment, not- 
withstanding that many attenqits have been made to 
ostablush it at Kew and elsewhere. So long ago as the 
year 1827, Sir Wiliiam Hooker publish a series of 
figures and a description of the coco-de-mer in the 
Botanical Mayar.inc, aud recorded tho arrival of living 
mils of it at Kew, where, ho -say-, “ wc cannot doubt 
of soou.eceiiig them flourishing in our stoves,” But they 
failed to grow, and although dozens of nuts liavo siuoe 
been tried at Kew, not one over got beyond tho first 
stage of germination. 
The absence from our collections of living examples 
of this most remarable palm is most disappointing to 
all students of the order. At Kew we have lately been 
successful in establishing living plants of tho Ita 
{Mauritia jlexuosa) and Bussu {Manicarici saccifera) 
palms of theJDemerara swamps, and the Doum {Uj/phane 
thebaica) aud Palmyra {Borassus jlahelliformis) palms 
of Africa. These successes stimulated the desire once 
more to obtaiu a living plant of the coco-de-mer. 
Application was therefore made in January last year, 
through the Secretary of State for the Oolouies, for 
a supply of fresh nuts from the Seychelles, and at the 
same time directions for packing aud forwarding the 
nuts were sent to Mr. C. Button, the Conservator of 
Forests at those islands. The Administrator, Mr. T. 
Risely Griffith, took a warm interest in tho matter, 
and through, his kind exertions several consignments 
of nuts were received, of which four germinated. 
Two of these are probably too weak to live, but the 
other two are iu a most promising condition. The stron- 
gest has a radicle 3 feet 8 inches long, and 12 inches 
iu circumference at the end where the plumule is 
developed. This is now a foot long, and is pushing 
a perfect leaf. 
In a note by the late General Gordon on the ger- 
mination of the double coco-nut, it is stated that 
the nut is planted horizontally, without the husk, 
when it sends out a sprout some 12 feet long, which 
pushes up the young plant at a distance of 12 feet 
from the nut. The longest “ sprout ” we have had 
at Kew has not exceeded 4 feet. Nor can it be 
made to grow horizontally, the point turning down 
perpendicularly however often its position may be 
altered. At Kew the nuts were planted iu a bed of 
coconut fibre, and kept at a. temperature of 80O-85° F. 
They were planted iu June 1889. 
Mr. Button had kindly undertaken to plant a nut iu 
a Wardiau case, and treat it according to our instruc- 
tions until it had germinated aud developed the plumule 
before despatching it to Kew. A nut thus treated 
arrived in July last iu the most promising condition. 
The radicle is 1 foot 10 inches long, aud the plumule 
is 7 inches in circumference at the base. It has a 
stout sheath-leaf, aud a normal leaf 3 feet 2 inches 
long, 3 feet wide, with thirty-six folds. The midrib 
is curved, aud the blade at present folded double. 
The texture is exceptionally firm, and the colour a 
deep green. 
Full-sized trees of the coco-de-mer attain as much 
as 150 feet in height, with a smooth trunk about a 
foot in diameter. The leaves form an immense crown 
on the top, and each leaf is 20 feet long and 10 or 12 
feet wide. The male and female flowers are on sepiaralo 
plants ; the male iuflolesceuce is shapped like a huge 
willow catkin, it.s length being 5 to 0 feet by 4 inches 
iu diameter ; the female is from 2 to 4 feet long, and 
it bears from six to ten fruits, each of which weighs 
from 25 to 30 pounds. They take seven years to mature 
and sometimes hang two years on the tree after they 
are ripe. The process of germination extends over 
about two years. According to General Gordon, the 
trees begin to fruit when about forty years old, aud 
attain maturity iu 120 years. 
Royal Gardens, Kew. AVilLIAM AVatson. 
[The coco-de-mer is at present confined to I’ruslin 
aud Outieuse, two of the islands of the northern group 
of the Seychelles Archipelago. It undoubtedly runs 
some risk of extinction from the long period which the 
nuts take to geriniuate, aud from the fact that, the 
trees teing of dift’ereut sexes, isolated females may 
easily escape fertilization. Its cultivation in the 
Botanic Gardens of the tropics is thereioro of con- 
siderable importance. 
Plants have long nourished iu tho Royal Botanic 
Gardens at Peradeniya, aud the following extract Irom 
a letter from tlio Director, Dr. Trimeii, F’. R. (8., to 
Kow, records tho interesting circumstance ot a male 
plant having flowered : — 
“ Peradeniya, August 12, 1890. 
“ You will bo interested to boar that one of our 
Lodoicea paiiua put out a inllorescenco last mouth. 
The tree is thirty-nine years old, To my great dis- 
