SKI»TKMHKU. I'HMi. m hK<KMMKK, liMl.l. 2'>.i 



soil, loam, ^.'lavrl, (.l■^^alnl, aii'l alx. in 'Irv, ..|>rii In-avy soils; il can. Ih-sI.Ics, staml a 

 fair amount of nioistur*- in loose soils. Il forms an fXcclU'nt irraft-hcarfr for all 

 varieties of European vinets, exeept Jlampuol, uiul po.ssiMy also other memhei-sof the 

 Miisnil family.' (tf. .1. P. <le Waal, in the Ajrrieultnral .Journal, ('a|K' of (iood llop«', 

 Decemher W'k UK)1, p. S.SS. ) This variety, 1 am iiifi>rnuMl liy Mr. Knstace I'illans, is 

 the hest of all the resistant stocks yet tried at the Cape, as its ea.<e of yriaftin^', ^Mvat 

 vijror, snitahilitv to «lifferent kin<ls"of .soil, ami jiraftinj,' allinily for all l>ul varieties 

 of^the MiixritI type, make it a jjeneral .stot-k of jjreat value. Even thos*> who <lo not 

 elaim that it (-xceiMls in vijror any otiier sort, a<lmit that it is tlie easiest frrafti-d of 

 any of tin- .\meri(an sti>cks. The stock orijrinated at (iroot Con.stantia Wine Farm 

 in "a lot of seeillin<:s from si-ed sown in IHSt). It is uncertain whether the seed came 

 ilirect from .\merica or from France. This is entirely distinct, according to Mr. J. 

 Bioletti (formerly of Ik-rkelev I'niversity, California, now at Fl.^enhnri; .\«.Micultnral 

 Sehool), from the MetnUim of French vineyardists. Its name applies to tin- luster of 

 its folia<re. The seed linj: was picked out in 1S*)4, and by (|uick propagation in UK)1 

 yieldcM 11)87,000 cuttin<rs, and in 1902, St;4,OO0 cuttinj^s were.distrihuted. It has been 

 tested side by side with many French stocks, such as Aniiiion ru/ti'slris, Itiparia 

 aioh-f dc Moiiljidlicr, etc., and" takes its place as their ecpial in all points and 

 their superior as retrards ease of jiropagation and suitability to th*' varieties of soil 

 mentioned. Mr. IMllans jjoes so far as to predict that it will drive all other .sttx-ks 

 out of South Africa, except for Miixrol sorts. He claims for it a remarkable yield- 

 friving power, extn^me vigor, and resistance to the phylloxera. Mr. I'.ioletti admits 

 its excellent (jualities and |.ra<tical growers are eiithusia.^tic over it. This is well 

 wortli the serious consideration of ( alifornian vine growers. The originators of this 

 remarkable seeilling are Messrs. J. P. de Waal and Fustace Tillans, of the Cape of 

 (iood Hope di-partment of agriculture, and its trial in California should be made at 

 once. We are indebted to Mr. I'illans for tin- plants .«ent." [Fdlrchild ) 



9608. Chloris viugata. Rhodes grass. 



From Capi' Town. South Africa. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and l-'air- 

 child (No. ll.n, March S, 190:',), May 0, 100:i. 



"A species of jiasture gra.«s that, although .scattered Nvidely through the Tropics of 

 both hemisiiheres (according to the books), has ]irobably not before been brought 

 into culture. Mr. Cecil Rhodes had the .seed of this plant collected several years ago 

 and sown in large patches on his jilace near Cape Town, called 'Groote Schur.' The 

 grass has done well there, forming heavy sods of a good herbage, and the manager of 

 Sir. Rhodes's farm has had the seed collected and distributed among the i)lanters of 

 the colony, by wliom it is called 'Rhodes grass.' From what I .-^aw of these patches 

 on the slopes of a hillside, I do not l)elieve this is a drought resistant form; at least it 

 is not able to withstand very severe dry weather. It has the typical tinger-like 

 inflorescence of the genus and "its strong, tough, creeping .stems lie flat on the ground. 

 When given sufficient moisture the gra.ss is said to produce a mass of forage over 2 

 feet high, but what it would do if subjected to severe drouglit has yet to be found out. 

 1 saw a single patcli which had been sown w ith the seed and had failed to take, and 

 it was evident that the drought-resisting powers of the plant are quite limited. How- 

 ever, a grass which lias attracted the attention of so keen a lultivator as Mr. Rhodes 

 and is meeting with favorable comment from many practical men here at the Cape 

 •deserves a thorough trial in America. As the species is a i>erennial it need only be 

 tested in frostless or nearly frostless regions. Its fodder value will be much inferior 

 to alfalfa, but it will thrive on soil with little lime in it. This seed was given Mr. 

 Lathrop for distribution in America by the steward of Mr. Rhodes's estate, and ni 

 case it succeeds, the Chartered South African Company, at Cape Town, shoiild be 

 notified of the success it attains. ' ' ( Fairchild. ) 



9609. Triticum junceum. 



From Cape Town, South Africa. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fair- 

 child (No. 1136, March 9, 190.S), May 6, 1903. 



"A grass which is a native of North Africa and Europe, and is used as a .sand binder 

 here in Cape Colony. Mr. Hutchins, conservator of forests of the colony, to whom 

 we are indebted for the seed, has found this species especially serviceable in exi^eri- 

 ments near the seashore. Von Miiller remarks that it is one of the best grasses to 

 keep rolling sand ridges together. Probably this has already been tried in America, 

 but this South African seed may be of a different strain." {Fairchild. ) 



