JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1921. 69 



53736. DiGiTARiA ExiLis (Kippist) Stapf. Poace«e. Fundi ^ass. 



From Sierra Leone, Africa. Seeds presented by D. W. Scniiaiid, Direc- 

 tor of Agriculture, Njala, Mano. Received Marcli 23, 1921. 



"An annual grass, much resembling crabgrass, grown by Nigeri.m tribes 

 as a supplementary food grain. This grass, called by natives 'fundi,' is often 

 grown in the millet fields, and yields a crop of fine set^l which is made into 

 flour for the preparation of a kind of porridge. Fundi was known in Africa 

 in 1798, but it was first brought into England in 1842 by R. Clarke, who de- 

 scribes the grain as about the size of mignonette seed. It is sown in May or 

 June, carefully weeded in August, and ripens in September. The plant grows 

 to a height of 18 inches, and the slender stems bend to earth by the weight of 

 the grain. It prefers light or even rocky soil. Clarke says the grain is 'deli- 

 cious ' for food. Fundi was tested at IMcNeill, Miss., in 1920, and it is believed 

 that it will give from three to five cuttings of hay in a season or a larger 

 amount of pasturage." (C V. Piper.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 49524. 



52737 and 52738. Tritioum aestivum L. Poacese. 



(T. vuigare Viii.) Common wheat. 



From St. Jean le Blanc, Orleans, France. Seeds presented by M. Edmond 

 Versin. Received March 11, 1921. Quoted notes by M. Versin. 



52737. " BU de Chine No. 1. Extra early, a little bearded ; this took a 

 diploma of honor as the finest head at Bordeaux, France." 



52738. " Bl4 de Chine No.- 2.. Very early and beardless." 



52739. Prunus armeniaca L. Amygdalacese. Apricot. 



From Haifa, Palestine. Seeds presented by Amram Khazanoff, Jewish 



Colonization Association. Received March 11, 1921. 



" Seeds of the Mnsmnsh kelabi, the bitter-kerneled apricot or dog's apricot, 



which is used in the Dama.scus region as stock for grafting the apricot under 



irrigation. The fruit of the Musmush kelabi is used for the manufacture of 



apricot paste, or kamr-ed-din." {Khazanoff.) 



52740 to 52744. 



From Medellin, Colombia. Seeds presented by W. O. Wolcott. Received 

 March 17, 1921. 



52740. Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.) Sendt Solanacere. Tree-tomato. 

 An evergreen, semiwoody plant, cultivated throughout the Tropics 

 for its edible, ovoid, smooth-skinned fruits. When mature these reddish 

 yellow fruits have an agreeable subacid flavor and although pleasant 

 when eaten fresh are used chiefly for stewing and for jam or preserves. 



52741 to 52743.' Poacese. 



" These grasses grow from 2 to 4 feet tall. They apparently require 

 very little moisture, for I gathered some from cracks in the rocks. The 

 natives say they are fine for fattening stock." {Wolcott.) 



52741. Andropogon minarum (Nees) Kunth. Beard-grass. 



A large perennial grass allied to the bluestem of the eastern 

 United States. 



