36 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



41478 to 41480. 



Plants from Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada. Presented by Mr. Nor- 

 man M. Ross, Forest Branch, Department of the Interior. Received 

 November 15, 19ir>. 



41478. Betui.a ii mm i.a Roth. Betulaceae. Birch. 



"Plants grown from seed picked from our plantation, the original 



seed of which was obtained from Russia. Two-year-old seedlings were 

 planted 4 feet apart each way in 1908 and show a height of 12 to 1G 

 feet and have borne seed for the past two or three years." (Ross.) 



See S. P. I. Nos. 39489 and 39990 for previous introductions and de- 

 scription. 



41479. Caragana pygmaea (L.) DC. Fabaceae. 

 See S. P. I. No. 33756 for previous introduction. 



For an illustration of this hedge plaut, see Plate VII. 



41480. Caragana arborescens Lam. Fabacepe. Siberian pea tree. 



" Cuttings of the prostrate forru ; grown from seed picked in our 

 ordinary hedges. We find that probably 1 per cent of the seedlings 

 show these characteristics. This plant 5 years old shows a spread of 4 

 feet. We think this form can be used effectively for landscape planting." 

 (Ross.) 



41481. Dumorta heckeli A. Chevalier. Sapotacese. Bako. 



Seeds from Coomassie, Gold Coast Colony. Presented by Mr. A. E. Evans, 

 traveling inspector, Agricultural Department. Received November 13, 

 1915. 

 " A gigantic sapotaceous tree attaining a height of 110 to 1G0 feet, with a 

 cylindrical trunk 3J to 6i feet in diameter near the base [circumference approxi- 

 mately 10 to 20 feet], and rising 90 feet or more before bearing branches. 

 Leaves obong-lanceolate, papery, 2| to 41 inches long and 1 to 1£ inches wide. 

 Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2 to 3 in the axils of the leaves. Calyx cam- 

 panulate, corolla rotate, greenish white, three-fourths inch in diameter, slightly 

 fragrant. Fruit at maturity greenish yellow, sphero-ovoid, like a russet apple, 

 with mellow, sickening pulp, bitter and nonedible. Geographic distribution, 

 Ivory Coast, Gold Coast, Liberia, in the vast virgin forests. Flowers in May. 

 The timber, reddish with beautiful markings, is one of the best African sub- 

 stitutes for mahogany." (Translation from the original description, Comptes 

 Rcndus dc V Academic des Sciences, Paris, vol. 145, p. 226, 1907.) 



41482. Ricinus communis L. Euphorbiacea\ Castor bean. 



Seeds from Chungking, China. Presented by Mr. E. Widler. Received 

 November 15, 1915. 

 "Ping ma tzu. A plant 6 to 9 feet in height, bearing white flowers; it takes 

 about six months to grow. The seeds ripen throughout the season from early 

 summer to frost. The seed is used principally for castor oil, which is prepared 

 by pressing. The seeds are brown and black; they sell iu the market for 1,000 

 cash for 2} catties." (Widler.) 



