APEIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1919, 31 



one has stood often yields 5 to 10 barrels of the best gum, whieli is used in the 

 manufacture of varnishes. (Adapted from Bulletin of the I'an-American Union, 

 vol. J,3, p. 453.) 



47560. CoLOCAsiA esculenta (L.) Schott. Aracese. Dasheen. 



From Port of Spain, Trinidad, British West Indies. Tubers presented by 

 Mr. E. Andre. Received June 5, 1919. 



" These dasheens were bought in the Port of Spain ground-provision market ; 

 they are a fair sample of what is sold under the name of dasheen, at prices 

 that are subject to a good deal of fluctuation. The price during the last few 

 days lias been 3 cents per pound retail, whi(;h is also the price of eddoes. All 

 starch foods are high ; wheaten flour sets the price. 



" Last year I conducted at the Dabadie Nurseries a pretty exhaustive set of 

 experiments in the growing of dasheens and Chine.se eddoes. I may say that 

 only here and there, in some particularly favored patch close to tlie, river bank, 

 did an Occasional dasheen give anything like a respectable tuber; the poor clay 

 at Dabadie did not suit them. It was otherwise with the Chinese eddoes which 

 did remarkably well with but little care. The dasheen requires well-watered, 

 low-lying land for remunerative crops." (Andre.) 



" The buds, or shoots, from the corms and cormels of this dasheen are white 

 or greenish white, while those from the one heretofore grown by the United 

 States Department 'of Agriculture as the Trinidad dasheen have pink shoots. 

 The quality of the tested specimen of this new variety was good." (R. A. 

 Young. ) 



47561. KoKiA ROCKii KAUAiENSis Rock. Malvaceae. Kokio. 

 From Honolulu, Hawaii. Presented by ISIr. J. F. Rock. Received June 10, 



1919. 

 " Seeds of a new variety of Kokia rocJcii, from the island of Kauai, discovered 

 hy Mr. A. Knudsen. There is only one specimen of the tree; it grows in the 

 very dry region of Kauai, several miles from Mana, in Koaloha canyon, on the 

 edge of a cliff, which saved it from destruction by cattle. I think the discovery 

 of this form is one of the most noteworthy since the days of Hillebrand," 

 (Rock.) 



47562 and 47563. Carica papaya L. Papayace?e. Papaya. 



From Merida. Yucatan, Mexico. Presented by Mr. G. O. Totten, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. Received June 10, 1919. Quoted notes by Mr. Totten. 



47562. " Seeds of a medium-sized papnya which grows only about 12 feet 

 high and bears fruits of the finest flavor of any we ever tasted. They 

 were brought to Merida from Campeche, Yucatan." 



47563. " Seeds given to me by Mr. E. H. Tliompson, former consul at 

 Merida, who declared they were from a variety of very fine quality." 



47564. DioscoREA latifolia Benth. Dioscoreaceae. Acom. 



Froixi Bahia. Brazil. Tubers presented by Sr. V. A. ArgoUo FerrSo. 

 Received June 11, 1919. 

 "Inhame figado Oe piru [turkey-liver yaml or caismra. This very interest- 

 ing iuhame is cultivated here in some localities, but is rare and is not found in 

 the markets. The tubercules are borne on the vine. I had a few last year and 

 planted them in December, when they were starting. I am now (April 28) 

 picking the crop. Those I have eaten were boiletl, and I found them very 

 good. I think it is a plant worth propagating, for it gives an excellent substi- 



