Bertholletia excelsa . 
IOI 
and arrested growth. By the thickening of their stems they 
had completely closed the way to salvation for which they had 
raced ; the mystery was, therefore, how they were sustained ; 
they received no help from us. The pericarp was as hard 
and apparently as impervious to water as when it was first 
planted. 
The struggle for life continued for the next four years. 
Now and then a plant would die, but its place was soon taken 
by another shoot, and this went on until the sixth year. 
Although it appeared that other seedlings were waiting inside 
until the death of one of those outside afforded them a chance, 
yet it seemed more than doubtful that seeds which had 
germinated about four years before could be still alive without 
having ever seen the light. An explanation was forthcoming 
when, on finding the pericarp had softened so that it could 
be broken away by hand, we decided to open it. This was 
done on October 22, 1900, exactly six years from the date 
of sowing. 
What we saw is shown by the three photographs here 
reproduced (Plates IV and V). 
I. The fruit with a portion of the pericarp removed, 
showing the arrangement of the seeds, and the result of the 
pressure on the lower portion of the stem of the seedlings. 
Six were alive. The upper part of the stem of one had died, 
but a new lateral shoot had started again from the base 
near the seed. 
II. The whole of the nuts and seedlings after the pericarp 
had been removed. The shells of every one of the fifteen 
nuts which the fruit originally contained were there, and 
nearly all intact ; five had never germinated, and contained 
only mould-like remains ; four had germinated, but perished 
afterwards ; six had formed plants. 
III. Three of the seedlings. These show how great the 
struggle had been : (a) has had the life squeezed out of 
the exposed part of its stem three times, but had still sufficient 
vigour to start a fourth shoot ; (b) bears evidences of hard 
times in the condition of the lower part of its stem ; (c) has 
