INTRODUCTION 
It is really astonishing how many species of plants one observes 
when taking a walk through the older residential section of Hono- 
lulu. If even only slightly acquainted with tropical plants one soon 
learns to distinguish the species of plants (or trees) which adorn 
this beautiful city; indeed an arboretum in itself. The question 
arises, who is responsible for the introduction of the many wonderful 
plants. The writer is sorry to state that it was not always pos- 
sible to ascertain the historical facts regarding each. Many of 
the older residents who knew or remembered the approximate date 
of introduction of some of the more striking plants, have passed 
away without leaving records regarding the origin of many of the 
plants now under cultivation in Honolulu. The Honolulu people 
have always been great travelers, and in the early days when voyages 
had to be made around the "Horn" sailing vessels usually stopped 
en route at South American ports and many seeds were thus gathered 
and brought to Honolulu, but the names of the plants, and where 
they came from were forgotten, and often even the place where they 
were planted. Save for a few old residents, actually and system- 
atically interested in plant introduction, the majority of them 
brought things home in the above described manner. 
The writer found some valuable information in the Proceedings 
of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society of 1855 regarding the 
introduction of certain plants, and as the volume is not available, or 
known in general, he gives such facts as have bearing on the present 
subject. 
It may be stated that the presence of many of the rarer plants 
in Honolulu is due to the indefatigable efforts of Dr. William 
Hillebrand, an ardent student of the Hawaiian Flora, and a long- 
time resident of these Islands where he held many prominent public 
offices. Honolulu owes him the profoundest gratitude. 
The first white settler and agriculturist on the Island of Oahu 
was Don Francisco de Paula Marin. He came to the Islands in the 
vessel Princesa Real in 1791. From his arrival to the time of his 
death, which occurred in Honolulu on October, 1837 (63 years old), 
he devoted all his spare time to the cultivation of his garden. He 
kept a journal, which, at the time of his death, consisted of several 
volumes; his first entry was on Nov. 14, 1809. He relates on 
January 11, 1813, that he planted pineapples, an orange tree, beans, 
cabbage, potatoes, peaches, chirimoyas, horse radish, melons, tobacco, 
carrots, asparagus, maize, fig trees, lemons, and lettuce. It is not 
