30 SEEDS A.ND PLANTS [MPOBTED. 



26242— Continued. 



summer and Bpring months they retire to their mountaiD villages, but in winter, 

 driven down by the snows, they descend into the plains bordering the Bea and live 

 quatters. Bach Family has acquired hereditary rights for years and years to occupy 

 certain portions oi the plains, paying a head lax for the cattle which accompany it 

 and having a right to colled valonia in a certain area. The old patriarch of the fam- 

 ily, with his wife, Bona, daughters, and grandchildren may be seen collecting valonia, 

 for which they pay a tax of L0 per cent in kind to the owner of the property. 



"In L899 the production of valonia in the differenl localities was as follows: 0,000 

 tons in Acarnania and Aetolia; 4,100 tons in Laconia and Arcadia; and 900 ions in 

 Achaia. En L908 the total product of Greece had diminished to 4,000 tons." (Wood.) 



"Valonia consists of the acorn cups, the best of which contain about 40 per cent 

 o\ tannin. It is especially serviceable in the production of heavy leathers. The 

 tree has been grown in the vicinity of Paris, where it attained an age of 25 to 28 years 

 before bearing fruit. In the collection of valonia the labor of children and young 

 girls is said to be largely used, the pay of the most skillful amounting to about 30 

 cents per day." (W. W. Stockberger.) 



Distribution. — Lower mountain slopes and valleys of Greece, and on the Cyclades. 

 See No. 6833 for previous introduction. 



26243. Garcinia brasiliensis Mart. (?). 



From Lawang, Java. Presented by Mr. M. Buysman, Hortus Tenggerensis. 

 Received November 19, 1909. 



Distribution. — Found in the woods in the province of Para, in the northern part of 

 Brazil. (Seed.) 



26244 and 26245. Polakowskia tacaco Pittier. 



From San Jose, Costa Rica. Presented by Mr. Ad. Tonduz,. through Prof. H. 

 Pittier. Received November 19, 1909. 



26244. Small variety having fiber. 26245. Large variety without fiber. 



"A cucurbitaceous plant, the fruit of which is used as a green vegetable. It is a 

 near relative to the chayote, but the fruit is smaller, fusiform, set with stiff spines at 

 the base and of quite a distinct taste. It is one of the primitive foods of the native 

 Indians of Costa Rica, where it grows wild in fresh, shady places of the temperate 

 region, and its use as a vegetable has been readily adopted by the Spanish Costa 

 Ricans. Nowadays the plant is at least semicultivated on the central plateau. To 

 grow it, a whole mature fruit is set in a rich, loose leaf mold with the spiny end up 

 and almost showing at the surface. The vines spread on the ground or on low bushes 

 or supports. The fruits, which are about 2h inches long and 1\ inches broad, hang 

 from short peduncles and are picked when still green. After taking away the basal 

 spines they are boiled in water, either whole or cut into small pieces, or pickled, or 

 made into preserves. They are also a favorite addition to the native vegetable 

 soups." (H. Pittier.) 



26246 to 26252. Pruxus spp. Cherry. 



From western Hupeh, China. Purchased from Mr. C. S. Sargent, director of the 

 Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Mass. Received November 22, 1909. 



Plants of the following; notes by Mr. E. H. Wilson: 



26246. From Changyang Hsien. "(A. A. No. 3.) A very ornamental tree, 

 attaining a height of 10 to 30 feet. Grows on mountains at an alititude of 

 2,500 to 3,500 feet. Flowers white." 

 205 



