OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1916. 43 



to be 100 years old. Mr. Watase and I, when we were talking about it, both 

 got the water freely flowing in our mouths. " Yes," he said, " our famous de- 

 ceased General Nogi used to say to his soldiers, on a hot day in the Manchurian 

 campaign when there was no water in sight, ' Boys, how would you like to have 

 now some nice pickled mumes.' and nobody after that complained about thirst." 



43559. Tacca pinnatifida Forst. Taccacese, Fiji arrowroot. 



From Donga, Nigeria, British West Africa. Presented by Rev. C. L. 

 Whitman, Sudan United Mission. Received November 11, 1916. 

 " Has very starchy tubers, said to be somewhat poisonous. Leaves irregu- 

 larly lobed, resembling a potato leaf. Seed stalk 1 foot to 8 feet high. Seed 

 pods on a whorl of small pedicels 1 to 1* inches in length. Grows wild in 

 light upland soil near Donga. It is not cultivated here, but in its wild state 

 is much sought after because of its starchiness. I have not learned the process 

 by which it is made edible. It may be useful as a starch producer if it can be 

 grown. Possibly it might be started under glass." (Whitman.) 



43560. Persea Americana Mill. Lauracese. Avocado. 

 (P. gratissima Gaertn. f.) 



From Guatemala. Cuttings collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, Agricultural 

 Explorer for the Department of Agriculture. Received November, 1916, 

 to June, 1917. 



"(Nos. 54, 109, 115, 137. Avocado No. 6.) Kanola. This variety possesses 

 several valuable characteristics. It is the earliest one found in the Antigua 

 region, commencing to ripen at the end of October. This makes it of particular 

 interest to avocado growers in California, since early-ripening varieties are 

 much desired in that State. The tree is exceedingly productive, and the fruit, 

 though small, is of desirable round form and attractive glossy purple color. 

 The flesh is yellow, free from fiber, and of rich flavor, while the seed is com- 

 paratively small for a fruit of round or oblate form. 



' The parent tree is growing in the sitio of Victor Garcia, who keeps a small 

 estanco on the road from Antigua to San Antonio Aguas Calientes, just above 

 the church of San Lorenzo del Cubo. The elevation is approximately 5,600 feet. 

 Beneath the tree, which stands on a rather steep hillside, coffee has recently 

 been planted. The soil is very loose, black sandy loam, doubtless of volcanic 

 origin. Judging from the crops grown in the vicinity, it must be quite fertile. 

 The age of the tree is not definitely known. Victor Garcia says that it was 

 already of large size when he was a lad, so it may be considered at least 40 

 years of age, most likely 50 or more. It stands about 35 feet in height, with a 

 spreading but rather open crown 35 feet broad. The trunk is a foot and a half 

 thick at the base. The first branches are about 8 feet above the ground. The 

 young growths are stout, shapely, and vigorous. The indications are that the 

 variety will be a strong grower. The bud wood is excellent, having strong, 

 well-developed eyes well placed on the young twigs, which are round, smooth, 

 and clean. There is no tendency for the eyes to drop from the young twigs, 

 as there is in some varieties. The wood Is not unusually brittle. 



" Varieties growing at this elevation in Guatemala are not subjected to severe 

 frosts, but .should be as hardy as the average of the Guatemalan race. 



" The flowering season of the parent tree is from the end of October to the 

 first of December. It flowers very profusely and in good seasons sets heavy 

 crops of fruit. The crop which ripened at the end of 1916 was enormous. It 

 was impossible to make an accurate count, but a conservative estimate would 

 place the number of fruits at 1,500 to 2,000. After such a heavy crop it is to 

 be expected that a light crop will follow. Very few fruits are being carried 



