SEEDS AM' PLANTS IMPORTED. 



24146. Ajsparagus filicinus giraldij C. II. Wright. 



From Florence, Italy. Presented by Mi'. Pasquale Banarini, director, Orto 

 Botanico » I<1 R. Institute de Studi Superiori, via Romans l!t. Received 

 November 13, L908 



■•The form known in gardens as variety Giraldii i- characterized by its large, broad, 

 glossy, green phylloclades, usually borne in groups of five, and the solitary green 

 flowers produced on verj Blender pedicels much longer than tin- phylloclades. The 

 flower buds are brownish. This form has been collected in China in ili<- Province of 

 Shensi by Pere Giraldi and in Szechwau and Bupeh by I>r. Aug. Benry. 



"The species is a very variable one, and three varieties of if are enumerated in 

 Hooker's Flora of British India, vi. 315, bul the variety Giraldii has larger phylloclades 

 than either of these." ( 'harles Henry Wright, in The Gardeners Chronicle, August 15, 

 1906 



24147. Malpighia guadalajarensis (Wats.) Rose. 



From Ixtlan del Rio, Tepic, Mexico. Presented by Mr. Alfred Lonergan, through 

 Mr. Frederic Chisolm. Received November 12, 1908. 



11 Manzanita or Manzana del Cerro (mountain apple). A low-growing tree, with 

 small edible fruits of a taste resembling that of the apple. Grows wild on the ste?p, 

 rough mountain sides in the eastern part of Tepic Territory and along the contiguous 

 western border of the State of Jalisco, Mexico. The bark is used in tanning, and these 

 fruits were imported to be planted at Brownsville, Tex., and Miami, Fla., to grow 

 trees for this purpose." {Frederic Chisolm.) 



24148 to 24154. Punica granatum L. Pomegranate. 



From Sidon, Syria. Procured by Mr. G. "Bie Ravndal, American consul-general, 

 Beirut, Syria, from Mohamed Effendi Dada, gardener. Received November 

 13, 1908. 



The following cuttings: 



24148. Suneiny. . 24152. Mawardi. 



24149. Malissah. 24153. Mull el Bagel. 



24150. BintelBasha. 24154. Seify. 



24151. Zaffani. 



"Perhaps the most popular varieties of sweet pomegranates grown here are the 

 Malissah (S. P. I. No. 24149) and the Bint el Basha (S. P. I. No. 24150). The Mawardi 

 (S. P. I. No. 24152) is also rather sweet, but considered slightly inferior to the varieties 

 already mentioned, so also the Mull el Bagel (S. P. I. No. 24153), the latter as well as 

 the Zaffani (S. P. I. No. 24151) is somewhat tart, but not as acid as the Suneiny (S. P. I. 

 No. 24148). The Seify (S. P. I. No. 24154) is well thought of in Syria. It is found in 

 the Damascus region, as well as in the vicinity of Sidon. 



"When seeds are planted the trees will be wild and require grafting, while cuttings 

 will produce trees of the variety of the cuttings. Pomegranates out here thrive on 

 shade and water. Rats are very fond of the fruit and climb the trees for meals, leaving 

 the shells of the fruit hanging quite empty." (Ravndal.) 



24155 to 24165. 



From Szechwan Province, China. Secured by Mr. E. H. Wilson, of the Arnold 

 Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Mass., in cooperation with this Department. Re- 

 ceived October and November, 1908. 



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