The lemon (Citrus limonia), which was not attacked by the worm, was exempt from the foregoing prohibition. Hence the cultivation of lemons has continued to increase in the Republic. The indigenous lemon tree produces a small but highly desirable fruit, since it is rich in acid and keeps for a long time. Nevertheless the best varieties of Florida and California lemons are now being planted.

Also the planting of the American varieties of the pomelo or grapefruit (Citrus grandis) has continued to increase in the Repubic, and these fruits thrive in both the temperate and hot zones.

The sweet lime (Citrus lumia dulcis) has been cultivated in Mexico since colonial times, and the country now has a number of varieties which produce large and excellent fruits, worthy the attention of citrus growers throughout the world.

The mango tree (Mangifera indica), which was introduced from the East Indies into Mexico at the beginning of the nineteenth century by Juan Antonio Gómez, a Spaniard of Cordoba, State of Veracruz, has spread over the entire Republic and produces one of the best fruits of the hot zone. Its propagation by seed, however, only preserved the polyembryonic varieties, of which the Manila is the best. The Manila mango of Cordoba, State of Veracruz, is highly prized and is similar to the Philippine variety of Cuba. Nevertheless, better varieties from Florida are now being planted by nurserymen, who sell grafted plants for distribution. The fruit of the mango tree is attacked in some regions of Mexico by the fruit fly (Trypeta ludens) and for this reason its importation into the United States is prohibited.

The coffee tree (Coffea Arabica) was introduced at the same time. as the mango and by the same Spanish colonist. Coffee was soon a true source of wealth in the hot Mexican lands, and adapted itself to wild and mountainous regions better than any other useful plant. At the present time coffee is cultivated in Mexico over large areas. On the low, hot lands the Bourbon or creole coffee, which is the most cultivated, is preferred. On the higher lands the Maragogipe variety thrives, but as yet is but little cultivated.

The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) thrives both on the Gulf and the Pacific coasts, producing crops which exceed the best yields of Africa and Asia. There are large plantations on the Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Guerrero, Michoacan, Tepic, Colima and Sinaloa coasts, and the area under cultivation is increasing yearly. The disease (Bacillus coli) which causes the rotting of the tree is unknown on the Pacific coast, but I believe exists at Feontera, State of Tabasco, on the Atlantic coast, where, during the last few years, the trees have begun to decay and dry up.

The apple and pear tree varieties are from seeds brought over by priests during the colonial epoch. The kinds most cultivated are

grafted on tecojote (Crataegeus Mexicana) stocks, but on account of lack of pruning and anticriptogamic treatment, the fine fruits of years ago are not now obtained. From 1910 to 1913, inclusive, many varieties from the United States and Europe were imported under the orders of the general bureau of agriculture, but, except in rare instances, their cultivation was neglected.

Peach and apricot trees.-The peach tree (Prunus Persica, Sieb.) the Spanish name for which is melocotonero, and the apricot tree (Prunus Armeniaca) or in Spanish albaricoquero, have been cultivated since colonial times. As they were invariably reproduced from seed, the cultivated varieties have reverted almost to wild types. The general bureau of agriculture of Mexico has introduced many varieties of American and European plants, and it is to be hoped that in localities adapted to their cultivation, and especially is this true of the peach, that they will attain the development and importance that they have in the United States.

The quince tree (Cydonia vulgaris) has been cultivated on the high Mexican tablelands since remote times. Its fruit is largely used by confectioners.

The grape and olive were imported into Mexico by priests during the period of the Conquest, but the Spanish Government prohibited an extension of their cultivation, which had become generalized, for fear that the products of Spain in this industry might come into competition with colonial production. Only some vines and olive trees were preserved in convents and monasteries. The grape of the colonial period is an excellent black variety, called "Mission grape," and is also used in Lower California in the preparation of raisins.

Of the olive trees there are two kinds grown in Mexcio-namely, Leccino, an Italian variety, and Frantoio. One of these has erect and the other hanging branches. The fruit is used as a food for the extraction of oil, the latter being accomplished by means of old mills and by the use of imperfect and ancient processes.

The general bureau of agriculture of Mexico has greatly encouraged viticulture by distributing hundreds of thousands of grafted grape vines of different varieties suitable for table use and for the making of wine, as well as a great number of runners or cuttings of American varieties, and has provided practical instructors in grape culture, so that at the present time there are more than 4,000 hectares of vineyards in the Republic. The growing of European grapes has a great future in Mexico, not only in the production of table varieties and for the manufacture of raisins, but also of varieties for the making of wine and alcohol. The output of grapes continue to increase in the Republic, the vineyards requiring irrigation from two to four times annually.

The cultivation of the olive trees for the production of olives for table use is also being encouraged. This tree thrives on the Mexican tableland to an extent that assures it a great future in Mexico, and although it does well without irrigation, it has been demonstrated that with irrigation in the dry season it grows more luxuriantly and produces a larger yield. I have experimented in grafting the olive on indigenous stocks, first using for this purpose the Mexican ash (Fraxinus mexicana) and succeeded in establishing growths. These grafts developed vigorously during the first three or four years, but afterwards died. It is true, however, that the genus fraxinus, heretofore classed as an oleaceous plant, was recently classified by the botanist Conzatti as belonging to the family of the Fraxinaceas which was placed in the Talamifloras. These are plants not related. to the olive. I then selected another indigenous tree called, in the State of Michoacan, Acebuche, and which is in no way related to the true acebuche (olea europea var. oleaster) indigenous to the Mediterranean coasts. The Michoacan acebuche is an oleaceous plant of the genus forestiera, a new species not yet well identified. The acebuche of Michoacan is a small but very productive tree and is well adapted to European olive grafting, inasmuch as it dwarfs the olive, like the graft of a pear on a quince, hastens fruitage, which becomes abundant, according to the statement of José L. Melo, who informed me that plants grafted by him some years ago are well preserved and vigorous.

The date (Phoenix dactilifera, L.) is grown industrially in Lower California, and gives promise of great development over the entire Pacific coast of the Republic, especially if the fine varieties introduced from Arabia by Americans in Arizona and Upper California are utilized.

I have deemed it désirable to publish this article, which I wrote in 1913, revising and correcting it, with the object of dedicating it to the great Aztec Republic, where I lived eight years and of which I shall always retain the happiest recollections.

T

HE new laboratories of the Bureau of Mines of the United States Department of the Interior at Pittsburgh, costing more than $1,000,000, were dedicated on September 29, 30, and October 1, with appropriate ceremonies, in which the mining and metallurgical industries of the country took part. The program for the three days was arranged by the Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce.

One of the biggest features of these ceremonies was the nationwide first-aid and mine-rescue contest held during the last two days. Fully 100 teams from the coal and metal mining companies throughout the country entered the lists. October 1 was a holiday for the miners of the Pittsburgh district, and thousands attended the national meet and witnessed the awarding of the prizes.

In addition to the usual prizes for these contests, the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association, an organization created in 1916 in honor of the memory of the first director, for the purpose of giving recognition to persons who had performed meritorious and heroic deeds in the saving of human life in the mining and metallurgical industry, or who had developed some safety appliance to further the saving of life in those industries, made its first awards. A list of recipients of diplomas and medals was announced and the deeds for which they were awarded recited. The committee on awards had recommended that 12 gold medals be awarded, all for heroic deeds performed by miners in coal and metal mines in efforts to save the lives of other fellow workmen. In several instances where men lost their lives in endeavoring to save others, the medals were awarded to their nearest living relative. This organization is intended to serve the mining industry in the same manner that the Carnegie Hero Commission attempts to serve industry generally.

Speaking of the accident conditions generally in the mining industries and of the outlook, Dr. Van. H. Manning, Director of the Bureau of Mines, says:

I am often asked, "What has the Bureau of Mines accomplished in the saving of human life in the mines?"

It is difficult to say that so many miners might not have been killed if it were not for the Bureau of Mines, because there are so many varying factors involved. I may say, however, that if you consider the prevailing average death rate in the mines for a period of years before the Federal Government took up this work, and compare it with the average fatality rate since the bureau was created, you will find that 5,000 fewer miners have been killed. In other words, had the old fatality rate been maintained through the last few years, 5,000 more men would have lost their lives.

I am of the opinion that the statement of 5,000 lives saved is a conservative one, for it must be remembered that the situation was gradually becoming worse in the

Courtesy of the Bureau of Mines. United States Department of the Interior.

THE MILLION-DOLLAR LABORATORY OF THE BUREAU OF MINES.

This building has just been completed and dedicated at Pittsburgh, Pa., by the United States Department of the Interior. Here will be carried on further experiments and research into methods for safe-guarding lives of miners in coal and metal mining.