Mr. S. has no view of publishing, at least for the present, and when we urged upon him the importance and utility of such a step, he thought it would be delegated to his sons. Their great and growing intelligence will, we trust, carefully treasure the valuable scientific knowledge their father is accumulating, and give it to the world; for, strange as it may seem, even the trees of Cuba are (very many of them) unknown, and if this is so, what undiscovered treasures must exist among plants of smaller growth 1

Among much miscellaneous information elicited by questions to Mr. S., we noted down a few particulars, which may interest: -

The cedar wood, of which there seems to be an inexhaustible supply for cigar-boxes, is the Cedrella odorata. It is one of the most valuable and useful trees of the island (if not the most so), from its extraordinary durability. They say it never rots; its uses are consequently very various. Employed in the place of mahogany, it makes the beams of houses that are so prominent an object in the ceilings, where they are carved or plain as taste or wealth dictates. The polished doors of houses are also made of this, having the color, but not the veining of mahogany.

There is another tree, that has the novel property of keeping on fire after it is dried. The highest wind will not extinguish it, and, of course, its value is great, under certain circumstances. Another (the Quibra hacha, or Break-Axe), is of so hard a texture that the best axe yields before it can make an impression. This is the hardest wood in the world, and might be made very useful in the arts. The Vomitel (Cordia speciosa) bears a thick, leathery leaf, which is found invaluable for polishing turtle-shell - an extensive produce of the southern portion of the island.

* When enveloped by the giant, these plants are all swept away.

†This is the Bombax Ceiba, and is one of the tallest trees of both Indies; the wood is very light, and is used for canoes, their trunks being so large, that, when hollowed, they make very large ones, frequently carrying from fifteen to twenty hogsheads of sugar. When the tree decays, it becomes a nest for the Macaca beetle, the caterpillar of which, when fried, is esteemed by many persons as one of the greatest delicacies.

There are several species of Cinchona in Cuba, but the true bark for extracting the quinine is not found. The best oranges, in the interior, where transportation is yet difficult, are sold for one dollar the thousand.

Cocoa-nuts, where the same impediment exists, are plenty, at one cent each. Castor-oil is a valuable article of commerce, and the plant is cultivated extensively.

The coffee-tree bears about half a pound to a pound to each tree, and may average six hundred pounds to an acre. It begins to produce the third year, and the fourth is profitable. It ripens its pretty berries in September, but has some fruit on at all seasons, even when in full bloom; this period is its most beautiful one. The plant resembles a myrtle, and its white blossom is superb. It requires shade, and every other hill is a banana or plantain, the two latter repaying all the culture necessary. The Cuban coffee is most esteemed in Spain; its present price is about sixteen cents. The best is produced in the red earth with which the country so abounds. The coffee lands vary much in price, from ten dollars the acre to one hundred and eighty; for thirty, good land can now be purchased. The coffee estates, having more shade around, are much more ornamental than those devoted to sugar.

With a little care, the grape would produce profusely; and all the better kinds, grown with so much attention in our graperies, might be had, as has been proved on a small scale, for the planting, but for the sloth and ignorance of the people. They import peach and strawberry preserves in quantities, though both fruits will succeed, as will the apple. Our pears do not grow well. The Alligator Pear (Lau-rus gratissima) is a celebrated production. It has a trunk as large as our apple-tree; the bark is smooth, and of an ash color; branches, succulent and soft, set with large, oblong, smooth leaves, like those of a laurel, of a deep-green color. The fruit is the size and shape of one of our largest pears, the pulp covered with a tough, skinny coat, and contains a large, rugged seed, wrapped in membranous covers. It is held in high estimation. The pulp is of a pretty firm consistence, and has a delicate, rich flavor; it gains upon the palate of most persons, and becomes soon agreeable to those who cannot like it at first; but it is so rich and mild, that most persons make use of some spice or pungent substance, to give it a poignancy; and for this purpose, some make use of wine, some of sugar, others of lime-juice, but most of pepper and salt.

This fruit is equally agreeable to the horse, the cow, the dog, and the cat, as well as all sorts of birds; when plentiful, it makes a great part of the delicacies of the negroes.

The exported orange is not indigenous, there being no native sweet orange in Cuba. The "Sour Sweet" is native, and is a tolerably good fruit, of the same appearance as the best kind. Not being in demand, and the tree a very handsome one, it is cultivated for its beautiful bearing, and represents the true article when that has become Bcarce. Its juice is employed extensively to clean harness, and to wash the pet vol ante, to which it gives a great shine. It also cleans shoes, and wipes up the floors, which receive great freshness from its application. Our coachmen, we observed, generally contrived to conceal under the seats a peck or two of these beautiful but almost valueless golden fruits. The best orange they call Naranjo de San Jose. The Limoncella is a small lemon, of the size of a sixpence, of a reddish color, and is the Limonia trifoliata.

The tree most planted for shade in and around Havana, resembles a poplar in appearance and leaf; on investigation, it turned out to be the Ficus religiota (the poplar-leaved Fig), and a most excellent shade-tree it is, bearing no fruit.

A species of cochineal is found, in a wild state, in various places; no cultivation of the true insect is attempted, though it might undoubtedly be successful.

Asparagus grows rampantly, but there is little or no attention paid to this and many other important vegetables. The inhabitants say there is little encouragement for this and the best productions of the gardens, as the mode in which their tables are supplied prevents their ever getting a taste of the best articles. A cook is hired to supply-a table of a given number of persons, at so much a month. He or she is to give daily so many dishes of meat, so many of vegetables, and such a variety of fruit. This official goes to market as economically as possible, ' purchases the stale articles, and pockets the profit therefrom. It was just so at our hotel, where the peas were always yellow, though an abundance of better were to be had in market, as we verified by actual inspection. The arts of living, which here could be turned to so much account, appear to be all thrown away. As for butter, the article is rarely made by the Cubans, and as much as is needed to ornament the tables frequented by Americans, is imported; what it becomes by the time it is offered to customers, may be judged by a sample that accompanied us in the Isabel. It was contained in the half of an empty flour barrel, which was in proximity with the beat of the steam-engine during the voyage; tied over with a piece of brown paper, it descended with the baggage of our party into the shore boat, when a passenger, a little late in his arrangements for departure, in a hurried moment, thinking it was a trunk, stepped into it, withdrawing his boot well buttered.

We had to presume that what the boot did not require to cover it, was served at our table thrice a day. Such is retailed for fifty cents the pound.

Vegetables, strange as it may appear, are a very dear product. Peas (such as would scarcely sell at all among us) were worth five dollars the bushel; beets, ten cents each; eggs commanded forty cents the dozen; milk, ten cents the quart, and poor enough ; beef (very inferior) commands fifteen to twenty-five cents the pound, mutton twenty, and pork uniformly twenty-five. The above prices are certainly very remunerative; the temptation of the high wages of labor for the sugar estates, however, is constantly operating to draft the workmen from the gardens, and cigar making, in the shade, is preferred by all who can, by skill, get into that employment. Some Americans, when they hear of these prices, are tempted to procure land, and raise vegetables for the Havanese; we have yet heard of no great success in this line. We left an active young man, from the State of New York, who was negotiating for one hundred acres near the Bishop's garden, for the purpose, and who felt sure of realizing a fortune in such a climate, where the track seemed to grow spontaneously, or with only moderate care.

These notes are extending beyond the original design, but as they appear to be acceptable to our readers, they will be continued.