where its roots can always secure all the water needed and where they are even subject to submersion. In some places they grow it on high land, but not nearly so successfully. I have never seen a budded or grafted litchi tree, and I understand budding and grafting are never done. Litchi trees are either inarched or layered, layering being the most common and the most successful. If inarched, it is on litchi stock. The common practice in inarching is to use the Loh mai chih [No mi chih] variety for scions and Shan chi variety for stock. The seeds of the various varieties vary greatly in vitality. I am told that there is absolutely no success with seedlings, though seeds of certain varieties germinate quite readily. This variety, the Haak-ip, is one of the most popular and is now on the market. The seed of this variety germinates quite readily, though not so well as the Shan chi." (Groff.) 40916. LITCHI CHINENSIS Sonnerat. Sapindaceæ. (Nephelium litchi Cambess.) Litchi. From Honolulu, Hawaii. Presented by Mr. J. E. Higgins, horticulturist, Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station. Received July 19, 1915. "These litchis are about one month later than the first lot I sent you [S. P. I. No. 40850]. They are of a more delicate texture and flavor, but the flesh is thin in proportion to the seed. The tree has a poor chance, however, and under proper conditions might do better." (Higgins.) 40917. CITRUS GRANDIS (L.) Osbeck. Rutaceæ. Alamoen. From Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana. Presented by Dr. J. A. Samuels, who secured it from Mr. A. J. Bueno de Mesquita. Received July 16, 1915. "This fruit, which is most likely the largest variety of citrus, is called Guidieon-apple in Surinam, or Alomoes, the Dutch name being Pompalmoes. It is not cultivated on a large scale, but is planted in the house gardens both in the city and the country. No attempt has been made at selection work to improve the quality, and the fruit is not used for industrial purposes." (Samuels.) See S. P. I. No. 37804 for previous introduction and description. 40918. STIZOLOBIUM NIVEUM (Roxb.) Kuntze. Tiger bean. From Changning, via Swatow, Kiangsi, China. Presented by Rev. C. E. Bousfield, American Baptist Mission. Received July 7, 1915. "Tiger beans, something new to me, but very good to eat. We like them baked and, indeed, any way. The only difficulty is to get enough of them, for they are not common." (Bousfield.) 40919. TRITICUM DICOCCUM Schrank. Poaceæ. Emmer. From Bombay, India. Presented by Mr. Selby S. Coleman, American vice consul, who secured it from Mr. Frank Harrison, Bombay. Wild Kathiawar wheat. Determined by Mr. M. A. Carleton as an emmer. See S. P. I. No. 39227 for previous introduction and description. 40920 and 40921. MANGIFERA INDICA L. Anacardiaceæ. Mango. From Cienfuegos, Cuba. Collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, Agricultural Explorer for the Department of Agriculture. Cutting received July 19, 1915. 40920. "(Cienfuegos, Cuba, July 13, 1915.) Manga mamey. A fine seedling type, found only in the Quinta Aviles, so far as known. Its 40920 and 40921-Continued. origin is uncertain, but its affinities seem to lie with the common manga group; hence the Cubans call it manga mamey. It is considered by many to be superior in flavor to mango Chino, but does not seem to be shipped to Havana in such quantities, possibly because there are fewer trees of this type in the Quinta. Like Chino, however, it is a true seedling type, polyembryonic, and apparently maintains the type characteristics when grown from seed. In general form it is broadly cordate, very short (just about as broad as long), slightly compressed laterally, the base flattened and very slightly oblique, the apex with a suggestion of a beak. In weight it averages 8 to 12 ounces. The stem is inserted in a shallow, narrow, almost regular cavity. The surface is smooth, greenish orange-yellow to orange-yellow in color, blushed around the base with reddish salmon. The dots are large and conspicuous, a distinguishing feature of the type, as frequently with other members of the mango group. The skin is thick and very tough, the flesh bright yellow-orange, meaty, moderately juicy, with very little aroma. The flavor is acid, pleasant, fairly spicy; fiber not very objectionable except around the ventral edge of seed, where it is long and fine. The seed is long, rather thick, with two to five embryos in the specimens examined, and an exceedingly hard, woody endocarp. In season this type agrees with Chino, being early to midseason in ripening. While somewhat more fibrous than the best Indian varieties grown in Florida, it is far above the average Cuban seedling in quality and freedom from fiber, and is here considered a very choice mango. The trees appear to be productive. For trial in southern Florida." (Popenoe.) 40921. "(Cienfuegos, Cuba, July 13, 1915.) Mango Chino. This is one of the largest and best seedling types in Cuba. As far as known it is found only in the Quinta Aviles, near Cienfuegos, where there are a number of old and large trees from which the Havana market, as well as local markets, are supplied. In Havana single fruits of this type bring 20 to 40 cents each. There appears to be very little difference among the fruits from the various trees of this type grown in the Quinta Aviles. As the trees are all seedlings, this constancy of the type characteristics proves that Chino is not merely a seedling variety, but a type which will doubtless reproduce its distinguishing characteristics when grown from seed. In general form Chino is broadly cordate, plump, usually somewhat oblique at the base and rounded at the apex. It weighs 10 to 16 ounces. The stem is inserted in a shallow, somewhat irregular, cavity. The surface is smooth, greenish yellow to dull cream yellow in color, overspread or blushed around the base with carmine. The skin is very thick and tough, making the fruit an excellent shipper. The flesh is deep yellow in color, orange-yellow toward the seed, of very firm and meaty texture, juicy, and with a very faint but pleasant aroma. The fiber is more abundant than in our best India varieties, but much less so than in the average Cuban seedling; it is long at the ventral edge of the seed, but comparatively short elsewhere. The flavor is rich, spicy, and very pleasant, the seed oval, rather thin and not objectionably large. It usually contains four to six embryos. Chino is rather early in season, and the trees seem to be productive. The origin of this type is not known; the man who planted the trees is now dead, and the caretaker 40920 and 40921-Continued. at the Quinta, who has been there 35 years, says that the trees were nearly as large when he first came on the property as they are now. It is a very distinct type; nowhere have I seen one which seemed to be closely allied to it or resembled it in all details. It should be tried in southern Florida." (Popenoe.) For an illustration of trees of these mangos, see Plate I. 40922 and 40923. ORYZA SATIVA L. Poaceæ. Rice. From Constantinople, Turkey. Presented by Mr. G. Bie Ravndal, American consul general, through the American consul general at Athens, Greece. Received July 10, 1915. 40922. No. 91. Broussa rice. 40923. No. 92. Broussa rice. See S. P. I. No. 39545 for previous introduction and description. 40924. CELTIS AUDIBERTIANA Spach. Ulmacea. Hackberry. From Paris, France. Presented by the director, Museum of Natural History. Received July 12, 1915. The form of Celtis occidentalis cultivated in the gardens of the Paris Museum of Natural History. Leaves somewhat glaucous, scarcely shiny. Fruit-bearing pedicels two to three times as long as the petioles. Stones slightly larger than those of C. occidentalis of the more typical form. 40925. PHASEOLUS LUNATUS L. Fabaceæ. Cape bean. From Marseille, France. Presented by Dr. E. Heckel, director, Colonial "Phaseolus lunatus, kalamaka of the Malagasies. Cape, beans have taken the second place among the agricultural products of Madagascar in exportation. In commerce, this large bean bears different names, haricot d'Orleans, haricot de Lima, de Parague, etc. It has been known in Madagascar for a very long time, and it is mentioned in the accounts of voyages before the seventeenth century. Its culture is practiced almost exclusively in the Provinces of Tulear and Morondava, situated at the southwest of the island. The alluvial soils of the deltas of this region suit it admirably, particularly those which are rich in micaceous elements. These are ordinarily recovered from bararatas, large reeds (Phragmites communis?), attaining 4 meters in height and submerged during the winter. The soil is prepared by superficial working. This preparation commences in March and April, as soon as the waters subside. The bararatas (reeds) are cut and burned; they shoot again, but the young shoots are broken down with a stick and this encroaching vegetation disappears. The seeds are planted in holes from 3 to 4 meters apart, in March and April. Harvest takes place from September to December. Almost all of the crops of cape beans are irrigated. Sells in Marseille for 65 francs per 100 kilos." (Heckel.) 40926. CANARIUM OVATUM Engler. Balsameaceæ. Pili nut. From Manila, Philippine Islands. Presented by Mr. H. T. Edwards, director, Bureau of Agriculture. Received July 19, 1915. "Because of the easy digestibility of these nuts, they are being used in increasing quantities for the preparation of an infant food, the excess of oil being removed and the nuts ground to a paste. "These nuts have been gathered by one of our representatives residing on the island of Catanduanes and are fresh stock, hulled by the cold-water process. Mr. Jacobson stated that the shipment consists of at least two distinct types, and it is the short, well-rounded type that we have been able to germinate in our grounds in Luzon." (Adn. Hernandez.) 40927. ALEURITES MOLUCCANA (L.) Willd. Euphorbiaceæ. (Aleurites triloba Forst.) Lumbang. From Littleriver, Fla. Procured from Mr. Charles A. Mosier. Received July 19, 1915. 40928 to 40935. ORYZA SATIVA L. Poaceæ. · Rice. From Tananarivo, Madagascar. Presented by the Governor General of Madagascar. Received July 14, 1915. 40936. BAMBOS TULDA LONGISPICULATA (Gamb. and Brand.) Bois and Grignan. Poaceæ. Bamboo. From Nice, France. Presented by Dr. A. Robertson Proschowsky. Plants received July 21, 1915. “M. Rivière, who was here about a year ago and saw my plant, appeared to doubt that my specimen was exactly the same species as described by him under the name Bambos macroculmis (not from flowers, which he never saw). But I have the impression that his doubt depended mainly on the difference in size, his B. macroculmis acquiring up to 25 meters in height, while my plant has not until now produced shoots more than 15 to 18 meters in height. Still this seems of little importance, as my plant is in a rather poor condition, crowded all around by trees, palms, etc., and poorly exposed in poor soil, and there can be no doubt that under good conditions my plant would make a much better growth. Anyhow, my plant corresponds exactly to description of B. macroculmis. It has flowered for three consecutive years on one or two of the smallest shoots, but it is growing on just as usual, and evidently belongs to the bamboos which do not die after flowering. The stalks are comparatively compact, with less cavity than the ordinary Japanese and Chinese species so common in gardens, and very strong and lasting, which I can testify, having used them for prolongation of a very long and heavy ladder. This large bamboo is hardy in my badly exposed garden and therefore would be so generally on the Riviera. The new shoots start in autumn and generally do not finish development before spring, but when frost arrives they do not suffer; growth is simply arrested for some time. Of course it is possible that in low, water-logged ground and with lasting frosts the young shoots might be killed, but in my garden on a steep hill this has not happened. Unfortunately, no seed has been produced, but this species can be multiplied by slips of the crowded side branches which yearly start anew and form aerial rhizomes. If I should divide the clump, it would be a question of an enormous bulk, which, even when cutting away the stalks (which, according to my experience here when transplanting, can not be safely done, such clumps without leafage dying), would weigh nearly a hundred SEEDLING MANGOS OF THE TWO PRINCIPAL CUBAN RACES, AT SANTIAGO DE LAS VEGAS. (SEE S. P. I. Nos. 40920 AND 40921.) The tall tree on the left is typical of the race called mango, while the low, broad one is a manga. This classification, although one made by the natives, seems to hold in both tree and fruit characters, the mango type of fruit being nearly always elongated or longer than broad, frequently more or less reniform, and usually beaked. The fiber is long and coarse, but not very thick, and the pulp is slightly more acid than that of the manga. The manga type produced by the low broad trees has fruit nearly always broader than long, usually oblique at base and apex, with no beak. The fiber is fine and extremely abundant, almost impossible to separate from the very sweet pulp. (Photographed by Wilson Popenoe, Santiago de las Vegas, February 23, 1916; P16677FS.) |