Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-13
PORTO RIOANss PLANTS
RESULT OF EXPEDITION OF NEW
YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN.
Collecting Marine Growths Around tho
Island-Fruit Of the Sea
Grape.

From the New York Tribune.
DR.. N. A. Howe was dispatched by the
director Of the New York Botanical Garden
Nathaniel L. Britton. early In May. to con.
duct an expedition to Porto Rico to collect
specimens of tho plant life of that country.
The expedition has Just returned, with q
valuable collection OF 5000 plants and tales
OF interesting experienced In an interview
Dr. Howe makes the following statement:
My time was given almost exclusively to
the collection and study Of marine algae,
although I took pl 'tographs OF various
subjects of more general botanical interest
on the northern and eastern shores Of the
island. The shore about San Juan offers q
great variety of physical conditions. such
as coral reefs surf beaten ittoral rocks,
sand beaches, nearly tnclosed bays and
lagoons and mangrove swamps. The region
sea plants. The warmth of the sea water
made possible mode OF collecting which III
former experiences even in Florida, Ber-
muda and California. l had been able to
employ only to limited extent. It may
be characterized as the bathing-suit meth
cd. One may work three or four hours
daily in the water without i'll effects. The
shallow water made dredging unnecessary,
except occasional efforts with boat and
long-handled rake. The brisk and almost
constant trade winds keep the surface Of
the sea considerably agitated much Of the
time so that the water is not SO delight
fully clear as around Bermuda and the
Florida keys. The rocky shore from San
Juan to Point Borinquen. on the north,
western corner of Porto Rico, also made q
good collecting ground.
Guanica Harbor.
Il collected about Rincon and Point IL
guero. the westernmost part OF the island
around Ponce. at Guanica, on the south
shore. and at Mayaguez. where the United
States maintains an experimental station.
Guanica harbor Is one Of the three or four
well-inclosed bays, and is of historical in
terest as the landing place of the army
under General Miles in July, 1885, OBJ
tatned nine hundred marine algae, espe-
ctally interesting because our previous
knowledge Of the subject was largely con-
fined to paper describing only nnety-two
species collected by Paul Sintenis, the Ger
man botanical explorer, in 1883. and de-
scribed by DR.. F. Hauck. 1t will not be
surprising if study of the collections of
the expedition reveals considerable novelty.
1.-THE Department Of Agriculture has an
experiment station at MayagueZ, In charge
of Frank D. Gardner. where experimental
tests are made with all tropical economic
plants, to ascertain which Of them can be
produced profitably in Porto Rico. Some
fifty or sixty varieties of bananas are grow
ing there and several varieties of cassava.
1.-THE silk cotton tree, important to the is
land. is not native there. The seeds are
covered with delicate fiber. much used
for stuffing pillows sofas, etc. The texture
is silky. hence the name. 1 couldn't get
any cotton batting on the island for pack
ing, so used this fiber which the natives
call guiana. The tree has widely spreading,
very large branches. nearly horizontal. so
that the diameter Of the spread is about
twice It's height. At four feet from the
ground the spread Of one tree measured 100
feet in circumference. In hurricanes 1t af-
fords safe refuge for the natives. There
Is similar tree in Africa from which silk
fiber Is exported to Europe. The wood
makes good building timber.
Grapes and Lilies.
''The sea grape is a very snowy plant Of
the coasts all through the West Indies. It
has large leaves. with thick and glossy
clusters of berries, very attractive In ap-
pearance, but not much utilized. The clus-
ters are about a foot long and the berries
a little larger than our own wild grape, and
it is blue when ripe. 1t attracted the at
tention of early navigators, several OF
whom mention 1t In their narratives. 1t Is
edible, but sour.
1.-The Porto Rican lily grows wild along
the coast. 1t is Snowy and much trans
planted in native gardens.
THE big night blooming cereus of Porto
Rico is cultivated generally in the gar
denS'