38 



an important article of food, being extensively cooked and eaten. Two 

 of tlie tanbark oak group (Lithocarpus Quercus), at least, have edible 

 acorns, viz.: Lithocarpus edulis (Quercus edulis) of Japan and Litho- 

 carpus cornea (Quercus cornea) of China. In England it is said that 

 certain individual trees of Quercus sessiliflora are noted for the sweet- 

 ness of their acorns." 



Mr. H. Ness, horticulturist of the Texas State Experiment Station 

 published an article entitled "Hybrids of the Live Oak and Over- 

 cup Oak" in the Journal of Heredity, Vol. IX, No. 6, Washington, 

 D. C, October, 1918 and has published subsequent notes making the 

 comment that he has become impressed with the ease with which fertile 

 hybrids may arise between species of oaks, even though their relation- 

 ship be apparently quite distinct. A number of second generation 

 trees from the hybrids of Mr. Ness have been obtained and the notes 

 should be added to any bibliography now being assembled bearing on the 

 subject of acorns. Mr. Ness says that, "Because of the ease with which 

 the hybridization of the live oak can be effected, the high fertility of its 

 hybrids and other virtues already mentioned, to which, very likely, will 

 be added improvement of the timber, there can be no doubt but that 

 the breeding of new forms of oaks as here indicated has great economic 

 and aesthetic possibilities." 



In response to my letter to Dr. V. K. Chestnut, Associate Chemist 

 of The Food, Drug and Insecticide Administration at Washington, Dr. 

 Chestnut replied that I will find notes of value for my purpose in his 

 official report entitled "Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino Co. 

 Cal., published in Contributions to the National Herbarium V. 7, pages 

 333-344, 1902. 



Mr, Ernest H. Wilson, Keeper of the Arnold Arboretum at Jamaica 

 Plain, Mass., sends me the following notes from "Sturtevant's Notes on 

 Edible Plants." (pp. 479-82). 



Quercus aegilops Linn. Cupuliferae. Caniata or Camatina Oak. 

 Valonia Oak. 



South Europe and Syria. The cups, known as valonia, are used 

 for tanning and dyeing as are the unripe acorns called camata or cam- 

 atina. The ripe acorns are eaten raw or boiled. 



Q. agrifolia Nee. California Field Oak. 



