In every way worthy of first mention among the plants of the Caribbean forests are the palms. A characteristic portion of the forest referred to occurs in Cuba, where, as is stated by R. T. Hill in his recently published and attractive book descriptive of the West Indies, there are some 26 species of palms, which give variety and beauty to the scenery of the "Pearl of the Antilles," as well as shade and food to its inhabitants. At the head of these for height and grace of form stands the royal palm, which might well be chosen for the emblem of the fair island it adorns. The wide-spreading crown of glossy pinnate leaves of this species is borne on a spindle-shaped stem of tough fibrous wood--so strong and pliant that it defies even the hurricane--in many instances 150 feet above the ground. The tree is a marvel of beauty and elasticity, and, fortunately for Cuba, is one of the most abundant of the larger trees on the island. It is met with almost everywhere; in the centre of broad pasture-lands it often stands alone, tall and straight, while bordering the cultivated fields of the rich planter it forms a shady avenue to his dwelling. This well-named _royal palm_ has also been called the _blessed tree_, for every part of it has its usefulness to mankind. Certain medicinal qualities are claimed for its roots; the outer portion of its trunk is easily split into boards for use in making houses and furniture for the poorer people; in the centre of the cluster of young leaves at the summit is a tender substance which is eaten raw, or cooked as a vegetable, or preserved with sugar as a table delicacy. The broadened leaf-stalks where they leave the main stem form a sheath-like expansion resembling a thin board, often four to six feet long, which is made to serve a variety of purposes, such as plates, and when soaked in water becomes pliable and may be fashioned into baskets and dishes for cooking, and at the same time furnishes salt for the seasoning of the boiling vegetables or meat. The world-encircling cocoanut-palm is found about the shore of tropical North America, and there, as elsewhere, serves a great variety of uses, being a greater blessing, especially to the natives and the poorer descendants of European and African immigrants, than even the royal palm. The economic importance of its wood-fibres, leaves, and fruit are too well known to require re-enumeration. While the wealth of palms is confined to the hot, moist regions of Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies, several members of the same great family are found in the United States. The royal palm is native to southern Florida, while the low fan-palms cover much of the northern portion of the same State, and occur even about the Ozark Hills in Arkansas, and the palmetto, growing to be a stately tree, is found near the coast in the Carolinas and is the emblem of South Carolina, the "Palmetto State."