590 



The sample sent was from a field that was not irrigated and 

 received no rainfall from the time of sowing until harvested." 

 (Voetter.) For distribution later. 



TURRAEA OBTUSIFOLIA. (Meliaceae.) 34178. Seeds from 

 Durban, Natal. Presented by Dr. J. Medley Wood, Director, 

 Durban Botanic Gardens. "A free-flowering shrub, from three 

 to five feet high, common on the dunes along the coast of Cape 

 Colony and Natal. It is never large enough to be of economic 

 value further than its use in holding fully exposed sea dunes; 

 its showy flowers and seeds make it worthy of cultivation 

 where it will grow." (Sim, Forest Flora of Cape Colony.) For 

 distribution later. 



NOTES FROM FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS. 



INDIA. Saharanpur. Mr. A. C. Hartless, Superintendent 

 of the Government Botanic Gardens, writes July 11 in regard to 

 mangos: "I am not prepared to enter into the question of 

 whether the mango has an existant wild progenitor or not. 

 Botanists are themselves apparently not certain on this point. 

 The study of mangos has chiefly been confined to what may be 

 called cultivated varieties, but there are an enormous number 

 of uncultivated varieties, that are called wild, but are not 

 really so. Many of these are very good, although wanting in 

 size as compared with the garden varieties. There is one 

 aspect about these so-called wild mangos that has been gene- 

 rally overlooked; that is the particular way in which their 

 fruit can be utilized. By the natives nearly all are sucked 

 and not the flesh eaten. I have this season tested many, and 

 I was very much astonished to find out how pleasant and re- 

 freshing they are, when sucked, much in the way a lemon would 

 be. Their juice mixed with aerated waters makes a very de- 

 licious and refreshing drink. To my mind for a country like 

 America where such drinks are greatly appreciated, such a 

 class of fruit would be a boon. 



The trees bear prodigiously, the fruit is easily sent 

 long distances, and probably some method could be devised of 

 keeping the juice for some time. In this line there are I 

 think enormous possibilities. In addition you will have a 

 very fine tree, that gives excellent shade and produces first 

 class timber. Seed could be easily introduced, and when once 

 the tree begins to fruit, it would soon propagate itself. It 

 would take probably from 10 to 15 years before the plant would 

 fruit. 



