OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1016. 45 



43563. Persea Americana Mill. Laiiraceae. Avocado. 



{P. ffratinsima Gaertn. f. ) 



From Livingston, Guatemala. Presented by Mrs. Lucie Potts. Received 

 November 15, 1916. 

 " Seeds of tbe hard-sliell ' pear.' This fruit was sent to me from tlie Vera Paz 

 district and was cut on November 17. Tlie inside was siioiled when I opened it 

 on November 27. It was badly gathered. I think a small piece of stem should 

 be left, since pulling it all off leaves a circular hole at the base of the fruit that 

 permits a quicker decay." (Mrs. Potts.) 



43564. PoA flabellata (Lam.) Hook, f, Poaceae. 



Tussock grass. 



From Stanley, Falkland Islands. Roots presented by Mr. W. A. Harding, 

 manager, Falkland Islands Company, at the request of the American con- 

 sul, Punta Arenas, Chile. Received November 15, 1916. 

 A coarse grass, native of the Falkland Islands, growing on peat soils near the 

 sea. The plant forms dense masses of stems, which frequently rise to the height 

 of 4 to 6 feet, and the long, tapering leaves, from 5 to 8 feet long and an inch 

 wide at the base, hang gi-acefully over in curves. The plant is much relished 

 by cattle, being very nutritious. The inner portion of the stem, a little way 

 above the root, is soft and crisp and flavored like a hazelnut. The inhabitants 

 of the Falkland Islands are very fond of it ; they boil the young shoots and eat 

 them like asparagus. (Adapted from Hogg, VegetaUe Kingdom, pp. 823, 82Jf.) 



43565. Chayota edulis Jacq. Cucurbitacese. Chayote. 

 (SecJimm edule Swartz.) 



From St. Lucia, British West Indies. Presented by the agricultural super- 

 intendent at the request of Hon. Francis Watts, Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture for the West Indies, Imperial Department of Agriculture, Bar- 

 bados. Received November 10, 1916. 

 " White. The green and the white varieties appear to be the only ones known 

 in these islands." (Watts.) 



43566. Feroniella oblata Swingle. Rutacese. Krassan. 



From Saigon, Cochin China. Presented by air. P. Morange, director, Agri- 

 cultural and Commercial Services. Received November 13, 1916. 

 A spiny tree, 25 to 65 feet in height, native of Cambodia and Cochin China, 

 growing rather commonly in forests, both on the plains and on the mountains. 

 The leaflets of the pinnate leaves are oval with rounded or flattened tips, and 

 the very fragrant white flowers appear in many-flowered panicles growing on 

 the branches of the previous year's growth. The fruits are borne in clusters 

 of three or four, are shaped like a flattened sphere, and are from 2 to 21 inches 

 in diameter. The pulp is edible and is subacid and pinkish. These fruits, 

 which have a pronounced orange flavor when young, are used as a condiment in 

 sauces. (Adapted from Bailey, Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, vol. 8, 

 pp. 1219, 1220.) 



43567 to 43577.'' Amygdalacese. 



From Valencia. Spain. Procured through Mr. John R. Putnam, American 

 consul. Received November 16, 1916. 



Seeds introduced for the work of the Office of Horticultural and Pomological 

 Investigations. 



* See footnotp, p. 11. 



