OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1918. 7 



The development of Australia is bringing to the front many valu- 

 lable new plants. This inventory chronicles the arrival of the elephant 

 grass {Pennisetum purpureum, Xo. 46890), which yields there 30 

 tons of hay per acre; a hardier species of the river oak or Australian 

 pine {Casuarina cvnninghamiana, No, 46881) than the one which has 

 been planted by the hundreds of thousands in southern Florida; 

 a drooping-branched species of the she-oak (No. 46882), wliich is 

 said to be most beautiful; and the edible canna {Canna edulis, No. 

 46821), which is grown in Australia for the production of arrowroot 

 and which has already shown remarkable adaptability to cultivation 

 on the Everglades of Florida, a single plant having produced 80 

 pounds of tubers. 



The problem of having green leafy vegetables throughout the 

 summer in tropical regions is a difficult one, and the introduction 

 from Yucatan of the chaya {Jatropha vrens, No. 46862), a rapid- 

 growing bush or small tree with succulent leaves which are cooked 

 and eaten with eggs, like spinach, is worthy of particular mention. 

 The idea of a dooryard tree from which a mess of greens can be picked 

 strikes us as strange, because we have always gotten our tender 

 leaves from low-growing plants ; but there is no reason for discrimina- 

 tion against the tree. 



The guarana (PauUinia cupana, No. 46863) is a tropical species 

 of Paullinia from Para, where the seeds, which contain 5 per cent 

 of thein, are used to make a beverage. The searchers for this alkaloid 

 may find this species a valuable source. 



In the tropical vegetable garden of the future the yam {Dioscorea 

 alata, No. 46768) will not be omitted, and those varieties which rival 

 the best potato in flavor and texture will come into favor. Already, 

 discriminating growers in Florida are beginning to grow several of 

 the introduced varieties. 



Mrs. Nuttall, whose acquaintance with the Indian food plants of 

 Mexico is exceptional, recommends from her own personal experience 

 the huauhtzontli (Chenopodium nuttallme^ Nos. 46632 and 46633) 

 as a delicious dish when prepared in Mexican fashion. As the species 

 seems to be very easily grown in the Southwest, the gardeners of 

 that region may find in it a desirable new vegetable. 



There is something fascinating to a child and to many grown-up 

 people in a gourd. The most brilliantlj'^ colored one which I have 

 seen is the Trichoscmthes quinquangulata (No. 46642) from the 

 Philippines. It is about the size of those baubles which are hung 

 on Christmas trees, and being beautiful carmine-red in color and 

 lasting for months it is most attractive and should be grown in the 

 South and shipped north at Christmas time. 



Citrus growers in California and Florida will await impatiently 

 the fruiting of the Vermilion orange or Chu kaa {Citrus nobilis, No. 



