OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1915. 11 



41316 to 41341— Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. O. F. Cook.) 



41319. Rubus sp. Rosacea?. Raspberry. 



"(No. 1233. Panticalla Valley, Peru, July IS, 1915.) Seeds of a rasp- 

 berry of possible interest to breeders on account of the extremely large 

 size of the fruits, which attain a length of nearly an inch and a half 

 and a diameter of more than an inch. The color and general appear- 

 ance are much like our red raspberry, but there is a solid fleshy core, 

 like a blackberry. The vine is a large and very vigorous climber, with 

 fresh bright-green foliage, the stems and petioles being armed with 

 rather scattering hooked spines. The flowers are pinkish purple." 



41320. Manihot dulcis (Gesner) Baillon. Euphorbiaceae. 



(Manihot palmata Muell. Arg. i Sweet cassava. 



"(No. 1680. Santa Ana, Peru, July 6, 1915.) Dried fruits of the 

 cassava plant, known in most Spanish-speaking countries as yuca, which 

 is an important root crop in most parts of tropical America. In many 

 regions cassava is a staple article of diet, as the potato is with us, and 

 in some respects it is superior to the potato, notably in having a richer 

 flavor. The flavor of the fresh cassava is entirely lacking in tapioca, 

 which is the only product of cassava widely known in the United States. 

 The cassava would be a valuable addition to the agriculture of the 

 United States, and especially in the warmer parts of the country where 

 the summer weather is too hot for the potato, but thus far it has re- 

 mained confined to the warmest districts of the Gulf States, on account 

 of the very long season required to mature the crop. The prospects of 

 more general utilization of the cassava in the United States depend 

 obviously on the possibility of securing varieties that will grow in a 

 shorter season or with less heat. The behavior of cassava in Peru may 

 be said at least to justify a renewed hope of securing varieties thai can 

 be raised more widely in the United States than any that have been 

 available in the past. On the eastern slope of the Andes the cultivation 

 of the sweet cassava extends to an altitude of 6,000 feet, and it is also 

 grown along the Pacific coast in a climate that is cold and cloudy for 

 much of the year. The Peruvian varieties should be tested in southern 

 California, as well as in the Gulf and South Atlantic States." 



41321. Canna edulis Ker-Gawler. Cannaeea?. Achira. 

 "(No. 1732. Peru.) Seeds of a wild species growing in the Urubamba 



Valley between San Miguel and Torontoy at altitudes of 6,000 to 8,000 

 feet. The plant is said to be the same in every respect as the cultivated 

 achira of this district, except that it does not have the enlarged fleshy 

 rootstocks. It usually grows in rather densely wooded situations and 

 behaves in all respects like a wild plant. The plant is larger and the 

 flowers are smaller than those of another species of Canna that grows 

 farther down the valley at Santa Ana. and the color and shape of the 

 flowers are also different. Unlike the Santa Ana species, the petals have 

 little of the bright red or scarlet, but more subdued yellowish or pinkish 

 shades not easily identified with any of the Ridgway color standards. 

 The middle of the petals is nearly orange-chrome, hut most of the neigh- 

 boring colors are represented, with the margins nearly scarlet, or with 

 various pinkish shades, or toned down into such colors as apricot-orange 

 and the neighboring shades, rufous and canielian v^\. The calyx in- 

 clines to pinkish, and the f-ruit spines are tinged with Pompeiian red." 



