APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1921. 13 



pinnate. The flowers are in terminal panicles with racemose branches. The 

 tree extends into Natal, Swaziland, the Transvaal, to the West Coast, and from 

 the coast to the Matapos. A valuable and durable timber found in great abun- 

 dance and the most valual)le asset ^Iozanil)i(iue I'rovince has in ils trupical 

 forests. It produces also the African gum A/ho. (Adapted from Sims, Forest 

 Flora of Portuguese East Afriea, p. J/'i.) 



52913. Allium CEPA L. Liliacese. Onion. 



From Valencia. Spain. Seeds presente<l l)y John R. Putnam, American 

 consul. Kec-eived April 1, 19:21. 



Seeds of the onion which is grown on an extensive scale in Denia, Spain. 

 These onions come upon the American market in a iiccuHar type of package 

 and are tlie large yellow or straw-colored onions sold as Spanisli onions. 



52914. Prunus ARMENiACA L. Amygdalaceae. Apricot. 



From Aleppo, Syria. Seetls presented l)y Digby A. Willson, vice consul in 

 charge. Received April G, 1921. 



"The apricot grown in the Harput (Kharpoot) district is recognized to be 



the most luscious and most sought for noncitrus fru t in the Near East. In 

 order that our Department of Commerce ami our Department of Agriculture 

 may understand the climate under which the Harput apricot is cultivated, the 

 following information is given: 



" The city of Harput is situated in al,out the same altitude as Denver, Colo., 

 being slightly more than 5,000 feet above sea level. During the summer, which 

 is very hot. little water is found in the d. strict, owing to the entire lack of 

 rain in the summer months, but the winter is extremely cold and snowstonus 

 are not infrequent. The apricot trees usually grow throughout the city in 

 the various gardens, which are irrigated from small streams supplying sullicient 

 water for the cultivation of the trees after the spring rains. Great care is 

 exercised in the cultivation of the Harput apricot, resulting in a delicious 

 fruit about the size of an ordinary peach ; the apricots are r pe and ready for 

 picking about the last of May or the first days in June. T am informed by 

 many naturalized Americans from the Harput district that these apricot trees 

 will grow in .southern California." (Winsoii.) 



52915. ScLERocARYA BiRREA (A, Rich.) Hochst. Anacardiacese. 



From Matan'a el Saff. Egypt. Seeds presented by A. Bircher, director, 

 Middle Egypt Botanic Station. Received April 7, 1921. 



A tree with narrow, glabrous, 9 to 23 foliolate leaves tufted at the ends of 

 the branches. The elliptic, entire, leathery pinnre are 2 inches in length. The 

 globose, glabrous, whitish yellow drupes, 1 inch long, are borne singly on 

 stout peduncles. A fermented liquid is prepared from the sweetish acid flesh. 

 The stony nut contains two or four seeds of a walnutlike flavor. Native to 

 Upper Guinea and the Nile land. (Adapted from Tawredi, Colonia Eritrea, 

 p. 112). 



52916. Melilotus alba Desr. Fabacese. White sweet clover. 



From Madrid, Siwiin. Seeds presented by A. Frederico Gredills, curator, 

 Botanic Garden. Received April 5, 1921. 



For experimentHtion by the Ofliee of Forage-Crop Investigations. 



52917 to 52922. 



From Bello Horizonte, M'nas Geraes, Brazil. Seeds presented by Prof. 

 P. H. Rolfs, through Prof. C. V. Piper, United States Department of 

 Agriculture. Received April 1, 1921. Quoted notes by Professor Rolfs. 



52917. AxoNOPUs sp. Poacese. Grass. 



" Collected at Vicosa. A grass that has some very good points, for 

 grazing purposes, very leafy, covering the ground more densely than 

 St. Augustine at its best. Where the leaves are not cropped off by 

 grazing it stands about 8 inches tall. Zebu have grazed it considerably. 



30S37— 23 2 



