8 SEEDS AM) PLANTS IMPORTED. 



A number of additions to the strains or varieties of alfalfa have 

 been made from Peru, Australia, Spain, and Chile. These are 

 eagerly tried by the experts of the Department, who recognize the 

 great possibilities which lie in any strain of this important plant 

 which may fit into one of the many special conditions in the country. 



A collection of seed from grasses representing the best grazing 

 species on the veldt of Rhodesia (No. l , :i , .)*_ ) <) and following) will be 

 tested by the agrostologist of the Department. 



Mr. Meyers collection of Chinese hollyhocks, prince's-feathers, 

 morning-glories, four-o'clocks, balsams, Chinese pinks, marigolds, 

 garden asters, etc., may have something of decided interest in it for 

 American florists (No. 23995 and following). 



A number of Syrian pomegranates from Sidon have come in for the 

 experiments of the specialist of the Department, who is showing the 

 possibilities of this fruit in America, which has so far been neglected 

 by Americans. 



A wild gooseberry from an altitude of 10,000 feet, which is used as 

 a hedge plant in the Szechuan Province of central China, and a wild 

 strawberry of good flavor from the same locality have been secured 

 by Mr. Wilson, of the Arnold Arboretum (Xos. 24156 and 24165). 



Two wild and possibly valuable dahlias from Mexico were sent in 

 by Doctor Rose for the dahlia breeders (Nos. 24168 and 24169). 



The Bahia Navel orange has been reimported by Consul Demers 

 direct from Bahia, scions being taken from trees that were grafted 

 on the "Laranja da terra" which are said to yield better fruits than 

 those grafted on the "Laranja tanga," two different stocks in use 

 there. 



A distinct variety of the Para grass which has been so valuable in 

 Texas has been secured from southern Brazil for trial in comparison 

 with that already introduced (Xo. 24402). 



A collection of Stizolobium, or velvet beans, has been sent on 

 request by Director Treub, of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Java, 

 for the purpose of comparison with the recently introduced species 

 from the Philippines which has proved so unusually promising. 



The inventory covers a period of three months, from October 1 to 

 December 31, and includes 685 separate introductions. The prepara- 

 tion of the manuscript has been in the hands of Miss Mary A. Austin, 

 and the determinations of the material have been made by Messrs. 

 W. F. Wight and H. C. Skeels, of the Office of Taxonomic and 



Range Investigations. 



David Fairchild, 



Agricultural Explorer in Charge. 



Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction, 



Washington, D. C, April 3, 1909. 



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