118 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



12927 to 12929. Trifolium sp. Clover. 



From Corfu, (Jreece. Received thru Mr. C. S. Sfotield in lUOl. .'^eeds gathered 

 on the place of Mr. Antonio Col la. 



12927. Trifoliim maritimum. 12929. Tkifolum procumbens. 



12928. Trifoliim polystachyum. 



12930 and 12931. Maxgifera ixdica. Mango. 



From Honolulu, Hawaii. Presented by Mr. G. P. Wilder. Received February 

 20 and 21, 1905. 



12930. Ihmet. 12931. ( Xot named. ) 



12932. Carum gairdneri (?). 



From Winslow, Wash. Received thru Mr. John L. Hubbard, March 6, 1905. 



"This plant grows thruout eastern Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and is called 

 by the Indians on the Umatilla Reservation, in eastern Oregon, Soic-UL This plant 

 is similar in foliage to the carrot, is a hardy perennial with a root similar to the sweet 

 potato, and is very pleasant to the taste, either raw or cooked. When it is raw the 

 meat is about the consistency of a raw potato, of a sweet taste; when cooked it 

 becomes mealy, like a baked sweet potato. It was used extensively as a food staple 

 by the Indians thruout the Northwest before the advent of the white people, and is 

 used by them to some extent yet. 



"That the plant is susceptible of material development is proven by its being 

 found to grow much larger in plowed fields or cultivated soil, where the roots have 

 not been destroyed by such cuhivation. I believe that if your Department would 

 give this matteryour attention a new and valuable vegetable would be added to the 

 food products of the country." {Letter dated January 30, 1905, from Mr. Hubbard.) 



Mr. F. V. Coville, botanist, in a letter dated ]\Iarch 16, 1905, gives the following 

 information: "The plant is widely used for food among the northwestern Indians. 

 The late Major Bendire, of the United States Army, considered it one of the most 

 delicious vegetal)les he had ever tasted. I shall be very glad, indeed, to see ^Ir. 

 Oliver take up its culture with a view to its domestication. It would be a vegetable 

 somewhat of the type of the sweet potato. You will be interested to know that, by 

 reason of the summer drought prevalent in the regions where the plant grows, the 

 growing period of the species is short, a fact which will be very advantageous in 

 connection with its proposed domestication." 



12933 to 12937. Persea gratissima. Avocado. 



From Miami, Fla. Propagated by Prof. P. H. Rolfs, pathologist in charge of 

 Subtropical I^aboratory. Numbered February 21, 1905. 



12933. 



Baldirin. "Tree a vigorous grower, with strong central stem; liranches 

 rather rigid; light bloomer, but heavy cropper. Blooms in February and 

 IMarch. Fruit at best in August; drops in September. Ripens uniformly. 

 Shape of fruit approaching oblong, 4 by 5i inches, not regular; color green, with 

 a few yellowish streaks; rind smooth, thin; stem small; meat deep cream, 

 one-fourth green, firm; flavor excellent. Seeds are rather large, firm in cav- 

 ity. Buds (fo not take readily. Named for Mr. Baldwin, of Miami, Fla., w^ho 

 owns the original tree." {liolfs.) 



12934. 



Chappeloir. "Tree grows vigorously; branches diffuse, slender, inclined to 

 droop; bark of young branches shiny, greenish yellow. Good cropper and 

 abundant bloomer. Blooms in January and February; fruit ripens in June 

 and July. 



" Shape of fruit, bottle-necked, 2i by 4j inches; color dull purple; skin thin, 

 leathery; meat greenish near rind, whitish toward seed; seed medium; firm 

 in cavity; edible qualities good, but different from other type. The buds take 

 readily and the tree stands more cold than other varieties planted. Most 

 useful for home consumption. Named for Mr. William Chappelow, Mon- 

 rovia, Cal. Buds secured thru Mr. William A. Taylor." {EoI/k.) 



97 



