JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1914. 29 



37030. Panicum maximum Jacq. Guinea grass. 

 From Mayaguez, Porto Rico. Presented by Mr. D. W. May, Agricultural 



Experiment Station. Received January 23, 1914. 



37031. Hordeum vulgare L. Barley. 



From Aleppo, Syria. Presented by Mr. Jesse B. Jackson, American consul. 

 Received January 23, 1914. 

 "Black barley. The grain is very hard, and it is claimed that it will resist 

 insects for five or six years if kept in dry places." (Jackson.) 



37032 and 37033. 



From Pago Pago, American Samoa. Presented by Commander C. D. 

 Stearns, governor. Received February 3, 1914. 



37032. Musa sp. Banana. 



37033. Colocasia sp. Taro. 

 Plants. 



37034. Myrciaria cauliflora (Mart.) Berg. Jaboticaba. 

 From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Collected by Messrs. P. H. Dorsett, A. D. 



Shamel, and Wilson Popenoe, of the Bureau of Plant Industry. Received 



February 2, 1914. 

 "(No. 19a. November 4, 1913.) Seeds from about 40 pounds of fruits pur- 

 chased in the public market at a cost of 5 milreis (about one dollar) for the 

 lot. The fruit appears to be of an entirely different type from those the seed 

 of which was sent in under S. P. I. Nos. 36702 and 36709, suggesting that they 

 may even be distinct species, since there are two or more species of Myrciaria 

 in Brazil known under the common name of jaboticaba. The fruit of this 

 variety is uniformly round or slightly oblate in form and variable in size, 

 the best specimens being slightly less than 1 inch in diameter and of about 

 the same length. The skin is smooth and glossy, deep purplish maroon in 

 color over the entire surface. The pulp is very juicy and of pleasant vinous 

 flavor. Seeds one to four, two being the commonest number in good-sized 

 fruits. For further data concerning the jaboticaba, see notes under S. P. I. 

 No. 36702." (Dorsett, Shamel, and Popenoe.) 



37035. Persea americana Miller. Avocado. 



(Persea gratissima Gaertn. f.) 

 From Bahia, Brazil. Presented by Dr. V. A. Argollo Ferriio, through 

 Mr. A. D. Shamel, of the Bureau of Plant Industry. Received Janu- 

 ary 22, 1914. 

 "Dr. Argollo secured from a friend of his near Bahia a lot of avocado fruits, 

 typical of the best commercial variety, for experimental shipment to New 

 York. These fruits were packef. in a tight box and upon arrival in Washing- 

 ton in February, 1914, the fruits were examined for commercial condition. 

 While some of the fruits were found to have carried through the voyage from 

 Bahia to Washington in good condition, most of them were affected by a species 

 of Colletotrichuni. This development interfered with the quality of the fruit, so 

 that a satisfactory judgment as to its comparative commercial value was not 

 possible. The fruits were rather pear shaped, with fairly large seeds and a hard 

 rind. The meat was yellowish white and about half an inch in thickness 

 around the seed. The color of the rind was u r reen. The size of the fruits was 

 about 5 to 6 inches long and from 21 to 3 inches in maximum diameter. Dr. 

 Argollo did not know of any local name for this variety, except the name 

 avocado." (Shamel.) 



