170 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
again visited the spot, several years later, 
all these plants were gone—whether de¬ 
stroyed by the freeze or removed to other 
quarters, I was unable to ascertain. To 
me, this palm looked as robust and hardy 
as Cocos Datil and C. australis. As all 
these palms will undoubtedly thrive in 
the orange belt, their introduction should 
be the aim of all lovers of palms and 
sub-tropical plants. They never grow 
tall and are, therefore, easily protected. 
A situation in full sun is essential to all 
of them. 
Jubaea spectabilis, Humboldt is the 
most southern of all palms, being found 
in Chili in latitude 40 degrees. This is 
the Coquito, or Monkey Cocoanut of the 
Chilians, and exceedingly massive and 
beautiful species in its young state, and 
one of the greatest ornaments of the gar¬ 
dens of California, Italy, Spain, Portugal 
and the Riviera, where it grows to per¬ 
fection. When grown to its full size 
it is, according to Darwin, who studied it 
in the highlands of the Andes, an ugly 
tree on acount of the very thick central 
part of the trunk. This palm is easily 
raised from seeds. Years ago, I plant¬ 
ed out quite a number of small plants 
with a lot of different species of Phoenix, 
Sabals and Cocos, but, while all the lat¬ 
ter have assumed glorious proportions, 
the Jubeas are still very small, though 
healthy. Those in full sun pined away, 
but others in rather shady positions un¬ 
der trees have remained perfectly healthy. 
The largest specimen is only 2j4 feet 
high. Perhaps, in richer and moister 
soils and in somewhat shady places, this 
palm, like the California Fan Palms, can 
be naturalized. 
IV. 
Tropical P'alms. 
I11 this connection I cannot refrain 
from quoting Charles Kingsley: “For it 
is a joy forever, a sight never to be for¬ 
gotten, to have once seen palms breaking 
through, and, as it were, defying the 
soft, rounded forms of the broad-leaved 
vegetation by the stern grace of their 
simple lines; the immovable pillar-stems, 
looking the more immovable beneath the 
toss, and lash, and flicker of the long 
leaves, as they awake out of their sun¬ 
lit sleep, and rage impatiently for awhile 
before the gusts, and fall asleep again. 
Like a Greek statute in a luxurious draw¬ 
ing room, sharp cut, cold, virginal, sham¬ 
ing, by the grandeur of mere form, the 
voluptuousness of mere color, however 
rich and harmonious; so stands the palm 
in the forest—to be worshipped rather 
than to be loved.” All the large palms, 
even our native palmetto, show this gran¬ 
deur. How I raved when I first saw the 
beautiful groves of palmettos on the far- 
famed St. John’s—called by the Indians 
more appropriately “Welaka”! How I 
I longed to own such a grove or to plant 
one with many different species when I 
meditated, in the cold winter days, of my 
northern home! And, since I have cast 
my lot on this peninsula, I have been 
fully aware of the fact that it can be 
done that there are many of the most 
beautiful and noble palms at our disposal 
to form earthly paradises. But palms, 
like princes, demand our attention and 
devotion, if they are expected to unfold 
all their beauty, elegance, grandeur and 
nobility. Plant them in your gardens 
and parks; surround your homes, be with 
