OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBEE 31, 1914. 19 



39365 to 39368. Hordeum spp. Poacese. Barley. 



From Pusa, India. Presented by Mr. Bernard Coventry, agricultural ad- 

 viser to the Government of India, Imperial Department of Agriculture. 

 Received November 4, 1914. 



39365 and 39366. Hordeum spp. Barley. 



Huskless 6-rowed varieties. 



39365. Hordeum vulgare coeleste L. 

 A new form with very short awns. 



39366. Hordeum vulgare himalayense Rittig. 



Smoke-colored grain. Received as H. gymnohexastichon, but 

 identified by Dr. H. V. Harlan as above. 



39367 and 39368. Hordeum vulgare L. Barley. 



39367. Common 6-rowed barley. 



39368. Common 6-i-owed barley, husked. 



39369 to 39375. Peusea Americana Miller. Lauracese. 



(Persea gratissima Gaertn. f. ) Avocado. 



From Altadena, Cal. Collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, of the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry. Bud sticks received November 9, 1914. Quoted notes 

 by Mr. Popenoe. 



39369. "(No. 6. November 2, 1914.) Taft avocado. This variety is 

 one of the most promising of the thick-skinned, spring-ripening avo- 

 cados which has yet fruited in California. It originated with Mr. 

 C. P. Taft, of Orange, whose name it bears. Its parentage is not defi- 

 nitely known, but it belongs, without doubt, to the type from Atlixco, 

 Puebla, Mexico, which has been so widely disseminated in south- 

 ern California by John Murietta, of Los Angeles. The Taft is broadly 

 pyriform. averaging about 1 pound in weight, with a bright green, 

 undulating surface and thick, tough skin, which separates readily 

 from the flesh. The seed is rather small, comparatively speaking, 

 and fits tightly in its cavity. The flesh is smooth, fine grained, withoul 

 a trace of fiber, of rich, nutty flavor, and excellent quality. Its keen- 

 ing qualities are remarkable, and it ships well. The tree is a very 

 vigorous grower and buds easily. The foliage is reddish bronze when 

 young, deep green later. In California the fruit commences to ripen 

 in May and will hang on the tree in perfect condition through June 

 and July. Owing to the difference in climatic conditions, the season 

 may be somewhat earlier in Florida. While the variety has not been 

 as prolific in fruiting as some of the others, this may have been due 

 partly to the fact that the parent tree, which is the only one yet in full 

 bearing, has been cut back severely for propagation. Mr. Taft has 

 taken over 10,000 buds from it in a single season. For trial in southern 

 Florida." 



39370. "(No. 7. November 2, 1914.) Dickinson avocado. This is an 

 avocado of the true Guatemalan type, the seed from which the parent 

 tree was grown having been brought from Guatemala City to Los 

 Angeles about 16 years ago. In size it is slightly smaller than the 

 best varieties of the type, averaging not over 10 ounces in weight. 



