OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1917. 65 



45589 to 45591— Continued. 



"An East Indian palm 20 to 30 feet in height, with a thick, round 

 crown, commonly met with throughout Assam, but most plentiful in the 

 Nowgong District. The leaves are in universal use throughout Assam 

 for covering the tops of doolees (palanquins) and the roofs of boats, also 

 for making the peculiar umbrella hats (jhapees) of the Assamese. For 

 all these purposes the leaves are admirably adapted by their lightness, 

 toughness, and durability. The leaves are similarly employed by the 

 Lepchas for thatching and umbrellas." (Watt, Dictionarj/ of the 

 Economic Products of India, p. 86.) 



45592 and 45593. 



From Kingmen, Hupeh Province, China. Seeds collected by Mr. Frank N. 

 Meyer, Agricultural Explorer for the Department of Agriculture. Re- 

 ceived December 19, 1917. Quoted notes by Mr. Meyer. 



45592. Pybus calleryana Decaisne. Malacese. Pear. 



" (No. 24.53a. October, 1917.) Over 100 pounds of seed of a small- 

 fruited wild pear which has proved to be highly resistant but not totally 

 immune to fire-blight in the inoculation experiments of Prof. F. C. 

 Reimer, at Talent, Oreg. This pear grows in a variety of habitats, as at 

 edges of ponds, in dense thickets, on rocky mountain slopes, in crevices, 

 etc. It is used by the Chinese as a stock for improved pears and seems 

 to make a good union. When left alone it grows into a large tree, reach- 

 ing an old age. Where this pear occurs around Kingmen, Pyrug betulae- 

 folia also is found, and since the latter resembles P. calleryana to a 

 striking degree, it is impossible when collecting a large number of 

 fruits to keep out the first entirely. A certain percentage of seed of this 

 pear therefore is mixed with the true P. calleryana pear. 



"As P. betiilaefolia is highly susceptible to blight, roguing in the seed 

 beds or nursery plantings should be carefully done. 



" To insure pure seeds for future stock purposes, groves should be set 

 out here and there away from other species and varieties of pears, so as 

 to minimize hybridization, and in localities where spring frosts are of 

 rare occurrence. 



" Where Pyrus calleryana occurs wild, one finds it associated with 

 Ligustrum lucidum, L. quihoui, Pistacia cJiinensis, Xylostna racemosuw; 

 Celtis sinensis, Ulmus par^ifolia, Ziziphns jiijvba, Pinus massoniana, 

 Vitex negundo, Cudrania tricuspidata, Phyllostachys sp., Poncirus tri- 

 foliata, Zantlioxylum alatum, etc. In gardens with it one finds culti- 

 vated Citrus ichangensis, C. grandis, C. nobilis, Osmanthus fragrans, 

 Meratia praecox, Prunus pseudo-cerasus, Hovenia dulcis, Eriobotrya 

 japonica, Pauloicnia tomentosa, and others. 



" The fruits of Pyrus calleryana when ripe become soft and assume a 

 brown color, while those of P. betulaefoUa also become soft but turn 

 quite black. When not soft, however, the fruits of the two species can not 

 be separated when once mixed unless there are leaves attached to them, 

 Chinese name Yeh T'ang li (wild crab-apple pear)." 

 45593. Pistacia chinensis Bunge. Anacardiacese. Chinese pistache. 

 "(No. 24-54a. October, 1917.) Over 200 pounds of seeds of the 

 Chinese pistache, a very promising shade tree for those sections of the 



65587- 22 5 



