*3

FLAiT I

GENERA REPRESENTED IN THIS NUMBER.

AcaciaAesculusAloeAmygdalusBauhlnlaCltrullusCrataegus

Page151915241519151015201520

1520, 1521

EremochloaErlobotryaMyricaParlnarlPortulacarlaRlbes

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253. An important forage plant (Leucaena glauea.)

254. Chinese yang mei tree in Florida (Myrica rubra.)

E X P L A N A T O R Y N O T E ,

This multigraphed circular is made up of descrip-tive notes furnished mainly by agricultural explorersand foreign correspondents relative to the more im-portant introduced plants which have recently arrivedat the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introductionof the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department ofAgriculture, together with accounts of the behaviorin America of previous introductions, Descriptions-appearing here are revised and published later in theINVENTORY OF PLANTS IMPORTED.

Applications for material listed in these pagesmay be made at any time to this Office. As they arereceived they are placed on file, and when the mate-rial is ready for the use of experimenters it issent to those on the list of applicants who can showthat they are prepared to care for it as well as toothers selected because of their special fitness toexperiment with the particular plants imported. Donot wait for the annual catalogue entitled NEW PLANTINTRODUCTIONS which will be sent you in the autumnand in which will be listed all plants available atthat time. Regular requests checked off on the checklist sent out with the catalogue are not kept overfrom year to year. If you are especially interestedin some particular plant in the catalogue write andexplain in detail your fitness to handle it.

One of the main objects of the Office of ForeignSeed and Plant Introduction is to secure material forplant experimenters, and it will undertake as far aspossible to fill any specific requests for foreignseeds or plants from plant breeders and others inter-ested .

David Fairchild,Agricultural Explorer in Charge

Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction,Bureau of Plant Industry,

U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Issued February 28, 1920. Washington, D.C.

Anyone desiring to republish any portionof this circular should obtain permission byapplying to this Office.

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Acacia pallens (Mimosaceae) , 48428. From Johannes-burg, Transvaal. Seeds collected by Mr. J. Burtt-Davy. A valuable timber tree, 30 feet in height, witha very hard heavy wood, used for making clubs; thetimber is exceedingly hard and is durable under-ground. It is considered to be one of the most valu-able hardwood trees In the Transvaal, and is cut ex-tensively for mine props for the Rand. It is char-acterized by the presence of prominent warts on thetrunk and main branches, whence it has received thevernacular name Knopjesdoorn. (Adapted from KewBulletin of Miscellaneous Information, 1907, p. 361.)

Aloe pretoriensis (Liliaceae), 48505, Prom Bar-berton, Transvaal, Seeds presented by Mr, Geo, Thorn-croft. A plant of common occurrence on many kopjesaround Pretoria. It grows plentifully on the north-ern slopes of Mentjes Kop, and extends from here inan easterly and westerly direction on the range ofhills composed of the Daasport quartzite; it is alsofound in the Spekboom valley near Lydenburg, at Bar-berton, and along the foot of the Lebombo range ofmountains.

The most distinctive feature of the plant is it stall branched inflorescence, the racemes of whichare densely covered with brighly colored flowers; soconspicuous are they that they form a bright scarletpatch of color in the landscape and are visible from aconsiderable distance. The flowers contain a quantityof nectar, and consequently attract large numbers ofbrilliant sunbirds. The dense rosettes of taperingleaves, usually withered at the tips, have frequentlya very characteristic red hue and spring from a stout-ish stem 4 to 5 inches in diameter- The stem is darkbrown to black in color, extremely rough, and clothedthroughout its entire length by the remains of with-ered leafstalks. At first sight this Aloe certainlyresembles A. lineata in general habit, but on closerexamination it is found that the leaves are morenarrowly linear-lanceolate t*han is the case withA. lineata. (Adapted from The Gardners1 Chronicle,vol. 56, 3d ser., p. 105.)

Amygdalus persica (Amygdalaceae) , 48508. Peach.Prom Santa Cruz, Calif. Seeds presented by Mr. Geo.G. Streator. "Indian blood peach. A vigorous-growing tree, bearing freestone peaches. The fleshIs dark blood-red, very juicy, and of very good quality;

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the skin is greenish gray suffused with red. It isa late-maturing peach, and looks as If It would makean excellent canning peach." (Peter Blsset.)

Muhinia reticulata (Caesalpinlaceae), 48437-39. PromJohannesburg,Transvaal. Seeds collected byjMr. J, Burtt-Davy. "Klfumbe. The pods are much relished by cattle. Aman in Matabeleland, S. Rhodesia, grinds them up to mixwith concentrates for his pedigreed stock." (Burtt-Davy.)

A spreading shrub or small tree from the roots ofwhich is obtained a mahogany-colored pigment that isused by the Manyoro for staining wooden utensils. Thestain Is most effective; the liquid, applied when onlyslightly diluted, dries rapidly and with quite a gloss.The shrub occurs here in quantity, also in parts of Toroand Chagwe, and is sometimes used in native medicine. (A-dapted from Dawe, Report of Mission through Uganda, p. 26.)

Citrullus vulgaris (Cucurbitaceae) , 48558. Watermelon.From Foochow, Fukien, China. Collected by Mr. J.B. Nor-ton, agricultural explorer. "The common, small, red-fleshed melon of this region has a very thin rindand fine quality flesh but Is lacking in sugar. Itshould be used in disease-resistant breeding to getshipping and marketing quality for small melons. Ithas a very attractive appearance and the size suggeststhe possibility of producing a watermelon small enoughtoship in crates for Individual consumption. " (Norton. )

Crataegus azarolus (Malaceae), 48516-17. From Gra-nada, Spain. Seed purchased from Mr. Pedro Glraud. Oneof the most important species of Crataegus is (7. azaroluswith its numerous varieties and races. This is a shrubof the calcareous hills and grows only on very dry lands.If undisturbed it attains a height of 13 to 16 feet,but its branches are generally hacked off for fuel byArab women or mutilated by heavy stones thrown by theboys to shake down the fruit. Some varieties of thisspecies have fruit the size of a large cherry, with avery agreeable acid taste. Although they are sold onthe market of the Orient, they would not be market-able in Europe or America because of the large stones;but specimens are often found which are nearly stone-less, and it is possible that this character couldbe fixed by selection. For fifteen years or more thewriter has used this species as a stock for pears withexcellent results. Top-grafted at 2 to 3 feet abovethe ground, it develops into a very beautiful, produc-

wtB,-and long-lived dwarf tree,- provided the graft-ing is done with a very early variety. This shruboccurs in extremely hot, dry places and must thereforecomplete the greater part of its development early Inthe season; its roots are unable to furnish the amountof sap necessary to develop pears in August. If itis grafted with a pear which fruits in May or June,when the roots of the Crataegus are In the period oftheir greatest activity, the best results are obtained.The writer speaks only of pears, because he has ex-perimented with them, but he sees no reason a prioriwhy these stocks should not do as well for apples, whichhe has not as yet tried. (Adapted from Bureau of PlantIndustry Bulletin No. 180, p. 15.)

Crataegus mexicana (Malaceae), 48507. From Guada-lajara, Mexico. Seeds presented by Mr. F. S. Furnivallthrough the American consul. "Whlto-thorn, commonlyknown as the manzanllla or tejocote, is indigenous tothe mountain section of Mexico and Guatemala; the fruit(a little apple about the size of the American crab-apple) is insipid in flavor In the raw state, but veryvaluable for making jelly; the tree or shrub may beused with marked success as a stock in budding andgrafting apples and pears." (Furnivall.)

For previous introduction see S,P,I. No, 46481,Plant Immigrants, No. 150, October, 1918, p. 1363.

Eremoehloa ophiuroides (Poaceae), 48566. Grass. FromKuliang Hills, near Foochow, Fukien, China. Collectedby Mr. J. B. Norton, agricultural explorer. "The best lawnand grazing grass of this region. Throughout the clayregion and the gravelly sand alluvial this is thidominant grass. All the neglected fields and washedhillsides are overgrown with it. It is valued inKuliang and largely in Foochow as a grass for lawns.If the lawns are mowed, clipped, or grazed, this isthe only grass which persists except Bermuda grasswhich sometimes maintains itself along the edges ofwalks and paths. This grass in pure culture does notneed to be mowed as it grows only 3 or 4 Inches high.It can be eradicated easily as the runners are on thesurface; and It is easily propagated by pieces of run-ners, turf, or seed. It is the best grazing grass inthis region, growing with Lespedeza striataand allied formsover the fallow terrace lands. The prime conditionof the cattle grazing on these hills depends on the

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prevalence of this grass and Lespedeza. This is alsoan excellent plant to prevent washing; the long run-ners stretch out In every direction, root at everynode, and soon branch and make cover. If it can begrown even as far north as North Carolina, it willsolve the lawn difficulties of the Eastern States wherenone of our grasses are satisfactory the year round."(Norton,)

Eriobotrya japonica (Malaceae), 48302. Loquat. PromAltadena, Calif. Budwood collected by Wilson Popenoe,agricultural explorer. "Tanaka. This excellent loquatwas introduced into the United States by Dr. Fair-child, but the material obtained by him has apparent-ly been lost, and the buds sent herewith have beentaken from a tree growing at the West India Gardens,which was grown from budwood sent from Algeria by Dr.L. Trabut In 1911.

1lTanaka is a large loquat, noted for its fineflavor and excellent keeping qualities. It Is ovalor nearly round in form, deep orange In color, withmeaty, orange-colored flesh. The season of ripeningis late, and it is probably because of this that thevariety has not been planted commercially In Califor-nia. In recent years, however, It has become ap-parent that some of the late-frultlng varieties, suchas Thales (considered by some to be Identical withTanaka and certainly very closely allied to this va-riety) may be cultivated profitably, if in a regionwell suited to their growth." (Popenoe.)

Myriea rubra (Myrlcaceae) , 48504. Prom Yokohama,Japan. Seeds purchased from the Yokohama Nursery Co."Yama-momo. A very pretty evergreen tree, closelyrelated to the sweet gale (Myrica gale) well known inAmerica. It is a small tree attaining a height of 20feet, with oblong or lanceolate,dark green, smooth andglistening leaves, 3 to 4 inches long. This tree, orlarge bush, grows in the mountains of southern Japan.Its name, yama-momo, Indicates its habitation, as itmeans literally mountain peach. How far north it growswild I am not prepared to say. One Japanese authorityasserts that It grows all over Japan, a statement Iam unable to verify.

"A specimen in the botanical garden at Tokyo Isabout 12 feet high, with a short trunk and a dense,round, spreading head. It is very ornamental. Thefruit when fully ripe is pleasantly acid and juicy;

PI. 253

AN IMPORTANT FORAGE PLANT.

{Leucaena glauca (L.) Benth. See S. P. I. No. 43637.)

In some parts of the Tropics this plant becomes a weed. It growscommonly in southern Florida. In the Hawaiian Islands it is cul-tivated as a forage plant, for which purpose it has [been foundexcellent. The growth should be cut before the plants come intobloom. I t is noteworthy that an important use should have beenfound for this common tropical plant hitherto considered a weed,and experimental plantings for the production of green forage forlive stock should be made in those parts of the Tropics wherethe economic value of this species is not j e t understood. (Photo-graphed by A. S. Hitchcock, West Mam, Hawaii, September 29,1917; Hitchcock's'negative No. 139.)

PI. 254.

CHINESE YANG MEI TREE IN FLORIDA.

(Myrica rubra Sieb. and Zucc. See S. P. I. No. 41256.)

Frank N. Meyer, the introducer, said of this remarkable evergreen fruittree that it is grown on well-drained rocky terraces around Hang-chow, and is represented by numerous varieties. This is a large-fruited variety producing fruits, the size of crab apples, of a darkpurple color and of very attractive appearance. -They are eatenout of hand or cooked in various ways; they are refreshinglysweet. Its addition to the list of semihardy fruits is an importantone, notwithstanding its slow growth. It has passed uninjuredthrough a temperature of 20° F. (Photographed by David Fair-ehild, Brooksville, Fla., November 20, 1918; P24627FS.)

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it is apparently made up of a large number of denselycrowded sections, quite distinct from each other, butradiating from a small central stone or hard seed. Onthis specimen the fruit was red, but there are varietieswith fruit of different colors. A white-fruited kind,having comparatively large fruit, is said to be of veryexcellent quality. The tree is commonly propagatedby seed, but the Japanese assert that It can also begrafted on the mulberry. It is planted by them partlyfor fruit and partly for ornament. The bark is animportant dye-stuff. lf (C. C. Georgeson. )

For previous introduction see S. P. I. No. 48000,Plant Immigrants, No. 163, November, 1919, p. 1506.

Parimiri mobola (Rosaceae), * 48469-71. Prom Johan-nesburg, Transvaal. Seeds collected by Mr. J. Burtt-Davy. "Mobola plum, from Choma, North Rhodesia."(Burtt-Davy).

Nocha or Noxa. One of the most handsome and use-ful trees of all the Huilla district; forming exten-sive forests in the mountainous parts of Morro de Lo-pollo. It rises to a height of from 15 to 40 feetwith a maximum diameter of 4 feet; the trunk branchesdichotomously and tortuously. The crown is dilatedand the dense, leathery evergreen foliage, deep greenabove and snowy white beneath, is of extraordinaryeffect. The wood is generally employed in Huilla forthe manufacture of furniture and other domestic arti-cles and, when properly seasoned, makes good lumber.But what is most advantageous in this tree is Its fruit,since at the time of its ripening a large proportionof the native population is sustained almost exclu-sively on Noxas. So great is the abundance of thesefruits in the neighborhood ofLopollo and Humpata thatthe natives offer large baskets of them to the Euro-pean colonists at the price of about 'ten cents' fora hundred fruits. The fruits are the size of a smallpeach, containing the bulky stone enveloped in a fari-naceous-pulpy mass, sweet, and of a very agreeablearoma. (Adapted from Hiern, A Catalogue of Welwitsch'sAfrican Plants, p. 320.)

Portulaearia afra (Portulacaceae), 48510. Spekboom.From Johannesburg, Transvaal. Cuttings collected byDr , H. L. Shantz , agricultural explorer. In some placesthe spekboom is arborescent, up to 20 feet high, oftenforming dense thickets. The juicy leaves are a whole-some food for all classes of stock as well as for wild

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animals Including buffaloes and elephants; hence farmswith plenty of spekboomneed not fear an ordinary drought.

"Providence meant to spoil our farmers in placingthe spekboom on the hills of the Karoo," wrote MacOwanin one of his articles on the fodder plants of thecountry. (Adapted from Marloth, The Flora of SouthAfrica, vol. 1, p. 209.)

"The yearly average rainfall of the region inwhich the spekboom thrives is 18 3/4 Inches and therainiest months (November, December and January), arethe hottest ones, the temperature reaching 108° F.During these months the rainfall averages 2 inches.In the winter months the rainfall is between .35 and,54 inches and the temperature is sometimes as low as21JF. The plant has b*een successfully introduced intoAmerica and small trees of it are now growing in SanDiego and Santa Barbara, California." (Palrohild.)

Ribes lobbii (Grossulariaceae), 48511-15, Gooseberry.From near Castle Rock, Wash. Seeds collected by Dr.David Fairchild. "The largest wild gooseberry I haveever seen. The fruits, some of them three-fourths ofan inch in diameter, were attached by a very slenderpedicel, and when I touched them they dropped into myhands. They were covered with flat-topped glandularhairs which made them slightly sticky to the touch andthey had an odor reminding me of that exhaled by theleaves of Rosa xanthina. A farmer whom we met on theroad declared that he could tell when he was near bushesof this species of gooseberry by the odor. The entireskin, which is claret-red when the fruit is ripe, peelsoff easily, exposing a whitish tissue Inside of whichis the characteristic gooseberry flesh containing a fewsmall seeds. The flavor is extremely mild, not sour,but sweetish and rather lacking in character; capable,possibly, of being improved through breeding by theaddition of that tartness so characteristic of oureastern wild gooseberry. The seedlings from this par-ticular- specimen may inherit the unusual size and sobe of value in breeding experiments." (Fairchild.)

Notes on Behavior of Previous Introductions.

A letter received October 15, 1919, from Mr. B.Kouwenboven, Edmonds, Wash., states the following:"Aeseulus wilsonii, S. P. I. No. 40037, is a beautiful orna-mental tree withgraceful leaves, now a gorgeous mixtureof orange, bronze, green and red, with purple ribs."

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREBUREAU OP PLANT INDUSTRY

OFFICE OF FOREIGN SEED AND PLANT INTRODUCTIONWASHINGTON, D. C.

Washington Scientific Staff

David Fairchild, Agricultural Explorer in Charge.P. H. Dorsett, Plant Introducer, in Charge of Field Stations,B. T. Galloway, Plant Pathologist, in Charge of Detention

Laboratories.Peter Bisset, Plant Introducer, in Charge of Distributions.J. B, Norton, Wilson Popenoe, and H. L. Shantz, Agricultural

Explorers.R. A. Young, Plant Introducer, in Charge of Dasheen Investi-

gations.H. C. Skeels, Botanist, in Charge of Collections.G. P. VanEseltlne, Asst. Botanist, in Charge of Publications.H. E. Allanson, E. L. Crandall, L. G. Hoover, F. J. Hopkins,

R. N. Jones, P. G> Russell, and C. C. Thomas, Assistants.Edward Goucher, Plant Propagator.

Field Stations Scientific Staff.

R. L. Beagles,* Superintendent in Charge, Field Station,Chlco, Cal.

J. E. Morrow, Superintendent in Charge, (Yarrow) FieldStation, Rockvllle, Md.

EcU/ard Simmonds, Superintendent in Charge, Field Station,Miami, Fla.

Henry E. Juenemann, Superintendent in Charge, Field Station,Bellingham, Wash,

D. A. Bisset, Assistant in Charge, Field Station, Brooks-ville, Fla.

E. J. Rankin, Assistant in Charge, Field Station, Savannah, Ga.

Special Collaborators.

Mr. Thomas W. Brown, Cairo, Egypt; Mr. H. M. Curran, Bahla,Brazil; Mr. M. J. Dorsey, University Farm, St. Paul, Minn.;Mr. Robt. H. Forbes, Cairo, Egypt; Mr. A. C. Hartless,Seharunpur, India; Mr. E. W. D, Holway, Faribault, Minn.;Mr. Barbour Lathrop, Chicago, 111.; Mr. H. L. Lyon, Honolulu,Hawaii; Mr. H.,Nehrling, Gotha, Fla,; Mr. Charles Simpson,Libtleriver, Fla.; Dr. L. Trabut, Director, Service Botanique,Algiers, Algeria; Mr. H. N. Whitford, School of Forestry,New Haven, Conn.; Mr. E. H. Wilson, Arnold Arboretum, JamaicaPlain, Mass.; Dr. F. A. Woods, Boston, Mass.