The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
PLANTS FROM THE TROPICS.
Further Efforts Of the Germans to Extend
the Cultiy alton OF Economic Plants.

Further Efforts Of the Germans to Extend
the Cultivation Of Economic Tants.
The SUN has already told how the Ger
mans have been ransacking the Islands
Of the Pacific for economic plants. such
as gutta percha, Manila hemp, spices,
and others that. II successfully transplanted
into her colonies. may add to their resources.
The German scientific periodicals are now
telling Of a similar mission sent to tropical
America 10 introduce plants from that
ugion into the German colonies.
Mr.. Paul Preuss has spent nearly two
wears collecting plants and seeds from
the low coast lands OF Mexico to Ecuador
and Venezuela. All his collections are sent
to the botanical gardens at Victoria In
the Cameroons. The idea Is TO introduce
plants into undo veloped Africa that have
proved to be Of high economic importance
In the comparatively well developed trop-
ical regions Of America. DR.. Preuss Sc
cured in Ecuador. Trinidad and Venezuela
a number Of varieties Of the cacao tree
which grows chiefly in those regions, though
1t Is also profitable in other parts Of trop-
ical America. II Is well known that cacao
is the principal wealth Of Ecuador, which
Is the largest source Of supply, the product
forming three-fourths or more Of the total
Exports. He has obtained many kinds
Of rubber plants from Ecuador. Trinidad
and Venezuela He has taken gutts percha
from Surinam. where the Dutch have trans
planted IL from the East Indies with ap-
parent success. In Salvador he has So
cured balsam OF Peru, which is valued as
a medicine. Thus far ii has been pro-
duoed In commercial quantities only In
this little republic. II lie called balsam OF
Peru only because the Spaniards used to
carry II TO Callao. Peru. for shipment to
Spain. He has also obtained a variety
OF the agave plants from Mexico and Guate-
mala- Heneuuen. one OF the most useful
fbres and second only 10 silver among
the exports OF Mexico, is a variety Of the
agave; and pulque. the national drink.
In made from the sap OF other varieties
of sgave.
The botanical gardens In Victoria, Gamer
oons, are regarded as specially favorable
for agricultural experimentation. These
extensive gardens have the rich soil that
almost always results from the decay OF
the volcanic rocks. The attitudes In vari-
Gus parts Of the gardens differ widely and
In other respects also the gardens have
climatic and other conditions which adapt
mem LOT lic ruNN'NElhI -
large variety of tropical plants.
SO all these American products have been
started on their African career In the gar
dens at Victoria. Their development will
be carefully watched by men OF scientific
training. Their various requirements
as TO temperature, moisture and soil will
De studied. Experiments will be made
with them under differing conditions:
and, II II f. decided hat they will flourish
In the new habitat, they will take their place
among the plants grown ON the plantations
Of Africa.
The fact Of deepest significance Is that
the world has begun 70 give so much atten-
ton to spreading tropical products all over
the hot regions wherever they may be
made TO flourish. Everybody will remem-
Der that the introduction OF the %cinchona
tree from Peru In 70 the East Indies was
so great a success that Java now Yields
TO the trade n far larger amount OF quinine
than Is obtained from Its native American
home. Large success may. also result
from the present experiments In transplant
ing other tropical plants to distant coun-
tries. The carrying out Of these projects
is likely to add a great deal to the economic
importance OF the tropics.