JULY 1 TO SEPTEMBER .30, li)22. 7' 



55585. OxALis TUBEROSA Molina. ()viili(hKea\ Oca. 



From Tucumaa, ArgenUna. Tubers presented by K. F. Schultz. horticul- 

 turist, Agricultural Experiment Station. He<^eive<l .Tuly 31, 1U2-2. 



"A plant related to our common sheep s<irrel. widely cultivafetl in Teiu and 

 Bolivia for the sake of its fleshy rootstocks, wlii.li are iin imi.urlani ariiele 

 of food. Ill some districts ocas are s(M-ond mily iti poialnes, while in etherK 

 ullucus {VUticus tulx'roau.s ("aldasl are more important, er jii ieasi are s..lil 

 more lienerally in tlie native markets. (Jcas are eaten raw. aH well a.s eo«.ketl. 

 and are also frozen and dried. Ocas prei)ariMl in tins last-mentlom^l wav are 

 called caya, a term corresponding to chuno, tlie name of tiie dried poijitoes. 

 Raw ocas, when tirst dutr. have a distinctly acid taste, like slieej* sorrel, hut 

 tliis is lost after the tubers have been exposed to the sun. 



"The plant attains a height of 1 foot or more and biis tlie general a|ipeaiunee 

 of a large plant of sheep sorrel. The flowers are yellow, and the leatlets are 

 folded at night or in wet weather, the same as the she«'p sorrel. 



"The varieties are numerous, thougli nuieh fewer than in ilie <ase of ibe 

 potato. Some are preferred for earing raw ami others for tin- making of cava. 

 Tlie texture of the tubers is very tender and juicy. In form some are nearly 

 cylindiiciil, while otbei-s are slender at the base and strongly thickened at the 

 end. The colors vary from white or light pink through darker pinks or yellows 

 to deep purplish red. The range of colors is much the same as in the idlucii. 

 but no deei>yellow varieties were seen, nor any with sjiots. except that s.mie 

 have bands of deeper color across the eyes. 



"In addition to the pleasing coloration, the surface of the tubers is .smooth 

 and clear, so that the general appearance is very attractive. The texture of 

 the llesh is also very tender and crisp. If the taste should ju-ove accei)table. 

 ocas might become very popular for siilads and pickles, if not for other pur- 

 poses. The nature and habits of the plant indicate That it may b«' adapie<! to 

 acid soils, which would be a distinct advantage in some pi'i'ts of the ridie<l 

 States." (O. F. Cook.) 



For previous introductions, see S. P. I. Nos. 4116.S to 4111H. 



55586. Medicago sativa L. Fabaceae. Alfalfa. 



From Buenos Aires. Argentina. Seeds presented by D. S. Bullock, agri- 

 cultural commissioner. Bureau of Agricultural F^conomics. United States 

 Department of Agriculture. Received .luly 28, 1022. 



Introduced for comparison and cultural experiments. 



55587. Prunus serrulata Lindl. Amyfrdalaeesp. 



Japanese flowering* cherry. 



From Yokohama, .Japan. Seeds purchased from the Yokohama Nursery 

 Co. Received July 24, 1922. 



Forma laiinesiaiia. A variety of Japanese cherry known as Mii:iikinu 

 (synon.vm, Dai Sakura), used in Japan as a stock. Prof. Yugo Hoshino. of 

 the Tohoku Imperial University at Sapporo, is quoted as follows in Hedrick*s 

 "Cherries of New York," p. 75: " In the noi-theni part of Japan proper (main 

 island) it is a common practice to graft Furopean cherries on a sjiecial kind 

 of Japanese cherry. This cherry has a peculiar character which tits it for 

 propagation, namely, it roots very easily either from cuttings or by mound 

 layering. It is grown by nurserymen only and is called Dai Kakiira. It has 

 a somewhat dwarfing influence on scions and hastens their fruiting age." 



For previous introduction, see S. I'. 1. No. .'?S2(tt>. 



55588. MiCROCiTRUS AUSTRALAsiCA (F. Miiell.) Swiii«rle. Kuta<-ea'. 



(Citrus australa»ica F. Muell.) Finger lime. 



From Dundas, New South Wales. Se«'ds jiresented by Herbeii .1. Kumsey. 

 Received July 1.3, 1922. 



"The finger lime is one of the most curious and interesting of the citrus 

 fruits. The young plants have more or less horizontally arranged lirandilets. 

 with very short internodes and small oval young leaves, the.se much shorter 

 than the .stiff, erect spines. Tlie flowers iire small, and the fruits are long 



