52 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



52618. HoRDEUM DisTicHON PALMELLA Harlan. Poacese. Barley. 

 From Ayr, Scotland. Seeds presented by McGill & Smith (Ltd.). Received 



March 11, 1921. 

 " Sample of a new barley for which our name is Golden Pheasant. It is a 

 cross between the best brewing barley in Britain and the best brewing barley 

 in Germany." (J. F. McGill.) 



52619. Acacia tortilis (Forsk.) Hayne. Mimosaceae. 



From Algiers, Algeria. Seeds presented by Dr. L. Trabut. Received 

 March 21, 1921. 

 A tree abundant in many parts of tropical Africa and Arabia, with brown 

 or reddish brown extremities and straight spines 2.5 centimeters long on the 

 barren branches and very short, slightly recurved spines on the flowering 

 branches. The linear-oblong leaflets are 2 to 7 millimeters long. The capitate 

 flowers are in clusters of as many as five in the leaf axils. The flat, spirally 

 twisted linear pod is 6 to 12 centimeters long. (Adapted from Muschler, 

 Manual Flora of Egypt, vol. 1, p. 461.) 



52620. Carica papaya L. Papayacese. Papaya. 

 From Honolulu, Hawaii. Seeds presented by J. M. Westgate, Agrono- 

 mist in Charge, Agricultural Experiment Station. Received March 21, 

 1921. 



" This variety of papaya which has been under cultivation through four 

 generations has transmitted its characteristic flavor and texture and, to a 

 reasonable degree, its shape to all of the seedlings of its kind that have come 

 under observation. To this variety has been given the name Solo. The fruits 

 are quite small, in many instances being only large enough for one serving. 

 Most plants of the variety are hermaphrodite or bisexual, but a staminate tree 

 is found occasionally. Although the fruits are small, they are crowded into 

 the axil of nearly all the leaves and are so numerous that the yield is reason- 

 ably heavy, yet not equaling in total weight that of some of the large kinds. The 

 fruit is pyriform, somewhat irregular, colors well and uniformly before soften- 

 ing, and is free from the diseased spots which occur on the surface and pene- 

 trate the pulp of many of the large forms. The flesh is of medium thickness, 

 of bright-yellow color, smooth, tender almost to melting, and of delicious flavor 

 even near the stem end, where many papayas lack flavor. The seeds, which 

 are abundant, permit ready and rapid means of propagation, and, because 

 of the loose placenta or inner lining of the fruit to which the seeds are attached, 

 they are very easily removed when the fruit is prepared for serving. From the 

 standpoint of the home gardener, the Solo is considered one of the best of the 

 papayas that have been grown at the experiment station, for, although small, 

 its qualities of texture and flavor give it first rank." (Report of the Hawaii 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, 1919, p. 28.) 



52621. Rhododendron racemosum Franch. Ericaceae. 



From Edinburgh, Scotland. Seeds presented by Dr. Isaac Bailey Balfour, 

 director. Royal Botanic Gardens. Received March 19, 1921 

 " The amount of pink color in the flower of this species varies enormously. 

 We have them from pure white to forms which are pink throughout. It re- 

 sembles in that respect your Rhododendron vaseyi." (Balfour.) 



