497 



BENINCASA CERIFERA. (Cucurbi taceae . ) 32104. Seeds of 

 wax gourd from Trichinopoli , India. Collected by Prof. C. V. 

 Piper. "Large, cylindrical, twelve to eighteen inches long 

 by six to eight, inches in diameter. Very white and waxy 

 fruit." (Piper.) This vegetable commonly used by the Chinese 

 for vegetable soups, and also candied as a sweetmeat wherever 

 it grows, is recommended to amateurs who are experimenting 

 with new vegetables. It has been grown successfully near 

 Washington. For distribution later. 



BERBERIS SP. (Berberidaceae . ) 32102. Seeds of a barberry 

 from Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon. Collected by Prof. C. V. Piper. 

 "A common species at an altitude of 6000 feet. It closely 

 resembles B. vulgaris, but the fruits are black." (Piper.) 

 For distribution later. 



CALAMUS VIMINALIS. ( Phoenicaceae . ) 32108. Seeds of a 

 rattan from Trichinopoli, India. Collected by Prof. C. V. 

 Piper. "A peculiar fruit said to be used in curries. Flesh 

 very acid." (Piper.) "It is a stout scrambling and climbing 

 species, with cane thin, but strong. It makes excellent walk- 

 ing sticks, and is the chief rattan of the Malay Peninsula." 

 (Watt, Commercial products of India.) For distribution later. 



CASTANOSPERMUM AUSTRALE. (Fabaceae.) 32087. Seeis 

 of the Moreton Bay chestnut from Brisbane, Queensland. 

 Presented by Mr. Frederick Manson Bailey, Colonial Botanist. 

 "In the scrub near Kuranda we noticed trees bearing pods 

 about the size and shape of a banana, but at least twice the 

 diameter. Upon opening the pods they were found to contain 

 huge beans that look very much like chestnuts. They have a 

 leathery skin and the interior is white and not very hard, 

 about the consistency of a nut. I tasted one of the beans, 

 although I was told that it was poisonous. It tasted very 

 much like a nut, but had no distinctive flavor. In spite of 

 the poisonous nature of the bean the 'black fellows' have 

 learned to use it as food. They first roast the beans in hot 

 ashes, then skin them and pound the white flesh into coarse 

 flour. They fill a basket with this flour and place it in 

 running water over night. In this way the poisonous principle 

 is washed out." (Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, at whose sugges- 

 tion these seeds were procured.) For distribution later. 



COFFEA SPP. (Rubiaceae.) 32160-162. Seeds of coffee 

 from Mayaguez, Porto Rico. Presented by Mr. D. W. May, 

 Director, Agricultural Experiment Station. Three varieties 

 of coffee from the Porto Rico Station's experimental breed- 

 ing. For distribution later. 



