JULY 1 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1908. 23 



23527— Continued. 



varieties, and I can give yon no specific or even local name other than ' sagin,' 

 but as sagin is Tagalog in general for banana, it does not amount to much." 

 (Lyon.) 



23528. Ficus carica L. Fig. 



From Nodoa, island of Hainan, China. Presented by Mrs. J. F. Kelly, 

 Hoihow, island of Hainan. Received September 8, 1908. 



Seeds of a Chinese fig. 



" Color when ripe dark red. Grows beside running water. Figs grow x on 

 trunk of tree near base. Fruit is cool and delicious. Diameter as much as 

 o| inches; outside pulp 1 inch thick and a large ball of white custard in the 

 center surrounded by seeds." (Kelly.) 



23529 and 23530. Acacia spp. 



From Chico, Cal. Procured by Mr. W. W. Tracy, jr., in charge of Plant 

 Introduction Garden. Received September 3, 1908. 



Seed of each of the following : 



23529. Acacia longifolia (Andr.) Willd. 



Seeds from tree on Mr. Bidwell's place at Chico, Cal. For trial at 

 Brownsville, Tex. 



"A bushy Acacia useful in Australia for binding coast sands through 

 the facility with which the lower branches throw down roots into the 

 soil. The bark, while not so high in tannin as that of Acacia m&llissima, 

 is used chiefly in tanning sheep skins." (Extract from von Mueller.) 



23530. Acacia mollissima Willd. 



Seed procured from trees thriving in the streets of Chico, Cal. To be 

 tested in the open at Brownsville, Tex. 



" The black wattle of southeastern Australia and Tasmania. An 

 Acacia thriving on the poorest soil and producing a bark so high in 

 tannin as to render its cultivation very profitable, especially in Natal, 

 where large plantations have been established on the rolling uplands; 

 as a tan producer it is by far the most valuable of the Acacias, and the 

 bark is especially valuable for tanning sole leather and heavy goods." 

 (Extract from von Mueller.) 



23531 to 23534. Rubtjs spp. 



From Mokanshan, China. Presented by Rev. J. M. W. Farnham, Shanghai, 

 China. Received September 5, 1908. 



Seed of each of the following: 



23531 and 23532. 



" These grow on the stem like the blackberry and have no core like 

 the raspberry. They are both red, with a pleasant acid flavor, and might 

 become fruitful and useful if cultivated in a proper location, or they 

 may be useful in hybridizing experiments." (Farnham.) 



23533. 



" I found these growing wild and noticed that they resembled what 

 I remember seeing in New England and heard called ' English black 

 raspberry.' I transplanted some to the garden, but was told that they 

 did not bear fruit. However. I persevered in cultivating them and they 

 commenced bearing, and the berries have improved in size and quality 

 until this year. Many of them were of good size and flavor." ( Farnh am. ) 



23534. 



"These seeds are from a bush I am cultivating that I found growing 

 wild here on the mountain 2,000 feet above the sea. It resembles the 

 raspberry in that the lobes of the berry are arranged around a core, or 

 center, but the vine is more like the blackberry, though the leaves are 

 very light on the under side, almost white, like the raspberry. The lobes 

 are slightly acid and red. They are very few at present, but I hope will 

 increase in number with cultivation." (Farnham.) 



148 



