JULY 1 TO OCTOBER 31, 1910. 47 



48103 to 48144^Continiiecl. 



48140. No. 49. •• Introduced from New South Wales to Victoria in 

 1917; a selection of seed barlej- imported into that State." (Rich- 

 ardson.) 



48141. Odessa. "Introduced from OdosHa. Russia, and thouKht to 

 be the most promising bariey for South Dakntai .•..ndliions." 

 (H. V. Harlan.) 



48142. *Roseicorthy Oregon. "Six-rowed field barlev. with dark- 

 colored grain, produced !>>• I'rof. l'eri;ins. KoKewi.rthy <'„||p^e. 

 South Australia." (Richardson.) 



48143. Sea of Azov. "This was intrmhice<l b.v a IcH-al pn.du.-,. mer- 

 chant from seed imported from Russia." iliirhnrdnnn.) 



48144. Bliort head. "Six-rowed field barley, with <lnrk jrrain. pro- 

 duced by Prof. Perkins, Roseworthy College. Soutli .\iiHtraIla." 

 (Richardson.) 



48145. SoLANUM MAMMosuM L. Solanacesp. 



From Ecuador. Collected in 1918 by Dr. .1. N. Rose, associate curator. 

 United States National Museum. Numbered in October, 1019, for conven- 

 ience in recording distribution. 



" This Solanum has large thorny leaves, ami bears a larpe deep-.vellow fruit. 

 about 3 inches long and 2 inches tlirough, witli five small fingerlike protuber- 

 ances projecting from the side, at the base. The fruit lasts for a long time, 

 both on the plant and after being picked, and is quite a curiosity." (Peter 

 Bisset.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 4G374. 



48146. Raphia viNiFERA Beauv. Phoenicacosp. Palm. 



From Aburi, Gold Coast. West Africa. Purchased from Mr. W. I ». Tudli<»iK-. 

 Director of Agriculture. Agricultural Department of the Gobi Coast 

 Colony, Ashanti, and Northern Territories. Received October 3, 1919. 



The bamboo or toine palm, so called because the natives make wine from 

 the sap of the trunk, is native to west and central tropical Afrim, the cnm- 

 monest tree in the swamps and lowlands which line the waterways. Dense 

 thickets of these graceful palms, traversed only by the wine gatherer or tlie 

 bamboo cutter, push their way into the lagoons and extend over the fiiKxl 

 grounds, and even for a distance of 15 to 20 miles up the river valleys into 

 the interior. African bass, a valuable brush fiber, and rafiia are both ob- 

 tained from this palm. The strong whalebonelike bast fiber, containinl in the 

 lower portions of the leafstalk, is very easily extracted l)y a simple process 

 of soaking and beating, and is then made into excellent l)rooms and brushes. 

 Raffia is prepared by peeling off the cuticle, with some of the underlying 

 fibrovascular bundles, on one or both sides of the leaf. It is usefl locally for 

 woven falirics, cloth, hats, and matting. The loose strips of rafiia art- in 

 demand as tie bands by gardeners. In length of fiber, but more espet-ially In 

 yield of cellulose, it is superior to esparto grass. Stipa icnacisgima, which la 

 valuable for making rope, brooms, baskets, paper, etc. Tlie following analysis 

 proves the worth of Raphia rinifcra for paper making: Moisture. 9.S p«^r cent; 

 ash, 2.7 per cent; cellulose, GO.S per cent. Ultimate rtl)ors (length), 1.5 to 

 2..5 mm. (Adapted from Kew Bulletin of MiJiceUaneou.<< Informatifjit, 1891. No. 

 49, p. 38, and Jackson, .Jouniul of the African Hoeiet]/. vol. I. p. 2'.Hi.) 



