60 
[ Eep. No. 564. ] 
N. B. Remarks by H. P. —The plants called Aloes by Mr. Dubose are 
species of Agave. The species most like the true Aloe, in the succulency 
of its leaves, is the celebrated Pulque Agave. The one with thorns only 
at the end of the leaves is the variety of the Agave Sisalana, called Yash- 
qui, and pronounced Yash-kee. The English spelling of Peter, or Petre^ 
is an imitation of the Spanish sound of the word Pita. The species of 
Agave and of Cactus should have heen planted in arid, poor soils. The 
same remark applies to the Date Palm, and to many other plants intro¬ 
duced by me into tropical Florida. PI. P. 
Continuation of the letter of Mr. Dubose. —“My son, John Dubose, 
took up, in 1832, (under the pre-emption laws of the United States,) 160 
acres of land, called, in that country, the hunting ground. He has im¬ 
proved it, and planted there until January, 1835, at which time the set¬ 
tlers all deserted their homes. This land is distant from the Cape Florida 
light-house, southwest, twelve miles. This will account to you why Mr. 
Howe did not see at the cape any of your plants. As an experiment, I 
planted the paper Mulberry and Morus multicaulis at the light-house. 
The former grew finely, became of some size, and, in the hurricane of 'sij 
1835, the sea overflowed it to the depth of three feet, and killed it. The 
Multicaulis bore fruit in October, 1835; and I saw it and three, more 
small trees of the same kind, on my late visit to Cape Florida light, on 
16th August, 1837. My son (John D.) took under his charge some of 
your plants, viz; Sisal Hemp, th^ three species of Aloes, or Pulque, the 
Arnotto plants, the Date, the paper Mulb(irry, and Turmeric, and planted 
them at the hunting-ground. I was there in May, 1835 : they were grow¬ 
ing well. Since then, that place has been in possession of the Indians. 
We have every reason to suppose they are stilP there. I sincerely hope 
that Congress will properly appreciate your exertions.” 
Key West, Z)ecew25er 27, 1837. 
Dear Sir: By the arrival of the Charleston mail, on the 23d instant,. 
I received yours of the 3d instant. With respect to the inquiry you make 
as to the person who first introduced the Morus multicaulis into East 
Florida, I think I am warranted in the assertion that the plants forwarded 
to me from New York, (by your order,) in May, 1833, were the first that 
had beeJi seen in East Florida. In August, 1835, I visited St. Augus¬ 
tine, and took some pains to ascertain whether they had received apy 
plants of true Multicaulis. A very intelligent gentleman then informed 
me that he had some plants, and would furnish me with cuttings frnm 
them, to be carried to the cape. On examining the plants, I found he 
was mistaken: they were the White, or Italian Mulberry. He considered 
them a species of the Multicaulis. At the same time, he observed to me 
that they had not been able to obtain any of the dwarf Multicaulis, (as 
he termed them,) as their introduction into the United States had been of 
so late a date. The ditference between the Morus multicaulis and the 
Italian Mulberry is striking, and can at first view be seen. From this, 
and from the fact that there had been no others introduced into the more 
southern part of this Territory, I take it for granted that yours were the 
first introduced. At the time I received them, I was unacquainted with 
their nature and value. The eldest one, planted at the Cape Florida light- 
