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of careful investigation, he says, and is used extensively 
by the Indians. They used to bring small hammocks made of 
caroa around to the houses in Bahia, and offer them at two 
or three milreis each. We hope to investigate these two 
plants as thoroughly as possible. 
"The most striking thing about Rio just now is the 
heat. Dr. Willis says it is cooler in the interior, and 
we are fervently hoping he is right. We leave day after 
tomorrow for Lavras; it is a two days run, stopping over 
nighj at Sao Joao -del Rey. Our only regret is that our 
time is going to be so short for this' interior trip. We 
have cut down our equipment to the essentials, made a few 
purchases here in Rio, including an abundant supply of 
-mosquito netting, and are, I believe, in good shape to 
tackle rough country. It will probably be smooth sailing 
until we leave Pirapora, but from there on, unless all the 
reports we have received are false, we can expect to have 
jerked beef and feijoada on our menu pretty frequently. 
"Several Guttiferae which are grown here seem to me 
to be well worthy of careful attention. We have only been 
able to examine the fruits of one, Rheedia brasittensis , but I 
was immediately struck oy the resemblance of this fruit to 
the : mangosteen, in flavor and character of flesh. It is 
smaller than a mangosteen, being about an inch and a 
quarter in diameter, oval, yellow in color, and containing 
three or four seeds surrounded by whitish, juicy pulp, of 
delightful flavor. It is just beginning to ripen at th.e 
Jar-dim Botanico and we are not able to get any seeds at 
this time, but no doubt Dr. Willis would be glad to supply 
them. We have photos of tree and fruit. 
"Barbosa Rodrigues says Platonia insignis, whose 
fruits are very similar to Rheedia, is far superior in 
flavor, and if that is the case it is certainly worth 
getting. He says of it 'the fruits are large and the 
seeds are enveloped in a very aromatic, whitish pulp, of 
delicious taste. Doce (jams, jellies, and sweets of all 
kinds) made with the pulp of this fruit, is, when well 
made , a nectar. ' " 
