589 



is almost never put up in attractive form but is sold in bulk. 

 Dates of this variety can be found in practically every gro- 

 cery in Spain where they are known as "Datiles de Berberia." 

 The fruit is large, from two to two and a half inches long, 

 and from three-fourths to one inch thick. It is semi-trans- 

 lucent, dark brown in color, and has flesh rather firm in 

 texture of a most delicious flavor. It is much darker in col- 

 or than the Deglet Noor variety, and keeps much better. The 

 dates always have the calyx attached to the stem end. This 

 gift from the Service Botanique of the Algerian government to 

 the Department of Agriculture marks an epoch in American date 

 culture. These selected offshoots from the best locality in 

 Tafilelt will not only show how this famous variety succeeds 

 in the New World deserts, but will also make it possible to 

 determine how truly it has been reproduced by the seedlings, 

 some thousands of which are already growing in California." 

 (Swingle.) For distribution later. 



PRUNUS SIBIRICA. ( Amygdalaceae . ) 34134. Seeds of a 

 Prunus from Novospassko, Russia. Presented by Mr. A. D. Voei- 

 kov. "A species of Prunus, closely related to the apricots, 

 occurring in Eastern Siberia, Manchuria, and Mongolia. May be 

 of value for breeding experiments." (Frank N. Meyer.) For 

 distribution later. 



SCHEFFLERA ACTINOPHYLLA. (Araliaceae . ) 34123. Seeds of 

 the "pinankaral" from Wellington Point, near Brisbane, Queens- 

 land. Presented by Mr. James Pink. "This is best known as 

 the Queensland umbrella tree, which is a truly descriptive 

 term for the growth of the foliage. It grows 20 to 30 feet 

 high and has flowers on a terminal spike." (Pink.) For dis- 

 tribution later. 



STRYCHNOS GERRARDI . (Loganiaceae . ) 34161. Seeds of the 

 quaqua from Mozambique, Portuguese East Africa. Presented by 

 the Inspector of Agriculture. "A small tree, from three to ten 

 metres high, v/ithout thorns and with exceedingly variable 

 leaves. Fruit one-celled, globose, two to three inches in 

 diameter, glaucous, glabrous, often spotted, with a hard 

 shell, and numerous flat seeds lying in acidulous edible 

 pulp." (Sim, Forest Flora of Portuguese East Africa.) For 

 distribution later. 



TRITICUM SP. (Poaceae.) 34126. Wheat from La Guaira, 

 Venezuela. Presented by Mr. Thomas W. Voetter, American con- 

 sul. "The grower of this wheat stated that it came to Vene- 

 zuela originally from the Canary Islands and that it has been 

 found to be the best variety known here to resist dry weather. 



