JUNE 1, 1915 



471 



maples," to which might be added, North Carolina 

 poplars, and other quiok-grrowing and short-lived 

 trees. 



The beekeeper should plant, for sturdy beauty, 

 sweet bloom, and large yield of honey the European 

 linden — a hardy tree, and a joy to look upon; also 

 the American tulip-tree, miscalled the tulip poplar, 

 fairly rich in honey, and it bears much pollen — one 

 of our most majestic trees, and pure American — the 

 only relative being a species in Japan. 



And then when you think of the boys and girls, 

 do not forget the nut-bearing trees, including a few 

 of the Japanese chestnuts, which are not affected by 

 the blight, which is rapidly destroying the chestnut 

 groves in this part of the country. 



For decorative and formal effects plant the "ging- 

 ko," the sacred tree of India and Japan. This is 

 a rapid grower, known also as the " maiden-hair," 

 because of the shape of its leaves. To my knowledge 

 it thrives perfectly as far north as Newburgh, N. 

 Y. For the same purpose the bald cypress should 

 not be overlooked. 



Now, brother farmers and bee-lovers, get busy 

 and adorn that long lane or stretch of road, in which 

 you are interested, with trees, and future generations 

 will rise up and call you at least a lover of your 

 kind. C. H. Guhbins. 



Philadelphia, May 7. 



The single statement in the above, that 

 Japanese chestnuts are not affected by the 

 terrible blight that threatens to destroy the 

 American chestnut, is indeed good news if 

 true. Will those who know something about 

 it please give us further information? In 

 years past I have mentioned my fondness 

 for chestnuts, and I want to say now that I 

 have enjoyed them after 1 have finished 

 both breakfast and dinner, almost continu- 

 ously since the new crop came in last fall. 

 Just as soon as I get a lot of chestnuts they 

 are put into an oven and roasted enough to 

 destroy the chestnut weevil. This generally 

 also prevents any tendency to mold in such 

 a climate as that of Floi'ida. But to make 

 sure against mold as well as the weevil, we 

 give them another roasting some time dur- 

 ing the winter. With this protection 1 think 

 I can have them almost if not quite all the 

 year. In fact, I have a few now. May 11. 

 Some of you may object because they are 

 hard on tlie the teeth. Well, I have a den- 

 tist, at least once a year, or oftener, look 

 after my teeth, and see that they are in 

 good trim. I have not had the toothache 

 for years, and do not expect to have it. 

 Well, when I get up from the table to go 

 over the garden or out among the poultry, 

 I put a handful of chestnuts in my left- 

 hand coat pocket ; and, no matter how hard 

 they are, by taking time I can chew them 

 until they are just a delicious creamy mass 

 in my mouth, as Terry, Fletcher, and others 

 have described, and in this way I greatly 

 enjoy them. I am sure they are very lieallh- 

 ful. Of course so much chewing calls forlli 

 an extra supply of saliva. Notwithstanding 

 the bliglit last season, the price of chestnuts 

 went away down in the Cleveland markets; 



in fact, there was almost a " glut " at one 

 time, in chestnuts. I bought a couple of 

 quarts when first on the market, and then, 

 later, put in a full supply for winter. I 

 have planted a good many chestnut-trees 

 already; but if what is said above in regard 

 to the Japanese chestnut is true I intend 

 (o plant more; and this reminds me that I 

 have both chestnut and pecan trees in bloom 

 in our Florida garden for the first time this 

 spring. 



DASHKEN TUBERS ACROSS THE GREAT WATER 

 NOT A FAILURE AFTER ALL. 



It seems it is not a very difficult matter 

 to send tubers, if properly seasoned and 

 packed, to foreign nations after all. See 

 the following letter from one of our mis- 

 sionary friends : 



A.MKRICAN HOARD MISSION IN SOUTH AFRICA. 

 RHODESIA BRANCH. 



Dear Friend, Mr. Root: — In response to your sug- 

 gestion in Gleanings for Jan. 1, 1915, p. 41, that 

 I let you know how I packed the amadumbe or 

 dasheen tubers that I sent you, I will say that I 

 too am forgetful, and cannot feel quite sure that I 

 remember; but I think it was like this: I chose very 

 small tubers (I think they had been dug some time), 

 and wrapped each in enough paper so that several 

 thicknesses, say five or six, should separate them 

 from each other when packed. Then I packed them 

 in a pasteboard bo.*: lined with corrugated pasteboard 

 such as Burroughs, Wellcome & Co. place their 

 bottles of tabloids in, and then wrapped this in 

 paper. 



I may remind you that you also succeeded, at least 

 once, in sending dasheen tubers across the seas, for 

 you sent some to me which arrived in fine condition, 

 and their offspring are now doing well in my garden. 

 So far I fail to see any difference between those that 

 you sent to me and those that I sent to you ; but we 

 have not compared them very thoroughly, perhaps, 

 as yet. 



I am interested in what you say of cassava, Jan. 

 15, 1915. I have ten varieties of manioc growing 

 in my garden. I wonder if any of them are identi- 

 cal with your cassava. Some of mine are sweet and 

 some very bitter. W. L. Thompson. 



Mount Silinda, Melsetter, S. Rhodesia, March 17. 



The amadumbe mentioned is growing 

 finely in our Florida garden; and while it 

 looks a little different from the Trinidad 

 dasheen, tlie tubers when baked are substan- 

 tially the same thing. Right near the South 

 African dasheens is a queer-looking plant 

 sent by a missionary from South America, 

 ft always attracts the attention of visitors 

 because of its rapid growth and queerly 

 mottled leaves. The manioc cuttings were 

 I'eceived, and planted in our Florida garden. 

 While we are considering the cassava and 

 its value as a food product the following 

 letter may prove to be of value. 



CASSAVA IIONEV, ETC., IN rARAGL'AV, SOUTH 

 AMERICA. 



Dear Mr. Root : — When I read your remarks in 

 Gleanings for January 15 on cassava as a food it 

 occurred to me that you might be interested to hear 

 about the ways in which that plant is used in Par- 

 aguay. The cassava (or, as it is called in this 



