1674 
height before branching; the young saplings have 
much the appearance of young Castillo, elastiea (rubber). 
The bark is light gray, thick, smooth or laminated, 
astringent in taste , and reminds one of quinine , - 
hence the native name "Umbaba" (to be bitter). The 
hard red timber has a handsome grain, is fairly 
easily worked, and weathers well above ground. It 
is untouched by Bostrychidae or termites. The tree 
makes an enormous crown of handsome glossy foliage. 
The old trees are in full bloom the first of No- 
vember, and the fruits begin to ripen at the end 
of the following September, continuing to fall 
till December and littering the ground for some 
distance in every direction. (E. G. Baker, Journal 
of the Linnean Society, vol. 40, p. 42.) 
Notes from Correspondents. 
Mr. H. J. Elwes, Colesborne, Cheltenham, Eng- 
land, has kindly acceded to our request that we be 
allowed to quote the following excepts from his 
letter of April 4, 1921: 
"Your papers on 'Plant Immigrants' are cer- 
tainly very valuable to horticulturists in all 
countries, and I thank you again for sending them, 
considering that at my age I can do little to re- 
ciprocate and make return for them. 
"In Plant Immigrants No. 177, (Jan. 1921, pi. 
278) I notice that the Chinese ginger (Zinziber offici- 
nale) has been successfully grown in Maryland. Have 
you tried the Japanese species Z.miogal* If not, I 
can send you either strong plants in pots or dried 
roots 
"I am much interested in Mr. Rock's notes from 
Siam. The mountains in the interior of that country 
are undoubtedly one of the finest unexplored re- 
gions for the botanist and horticulturist and I am 
assured by a neighbor who is the most intimate 
personal friend of the King of Siam (who lived in 
his house for a year to learn English) that every 
facility would be given to a suitable man who wished 
to explore there. I only wish that Forrest had gone 
*The Japanese ginger which we have grown, under 
S.P.r. No. 44579, does not compare with the Chinese 
ginger in quality. 
