619 



CANARIUM SP. (Balsameaceae. ) 34694. Seeds of the pill 

 nut from Manila, Philippine Islands. Presented by Mr. 0. W. 

 Barrett, Chief, Division of Horticulture, Bureau of Agricul- 

 ture. "A large tree indigenous to the Philippines, that pro- 

 duces an edible nut of excellent quality. There are two spe- 

 cies, C. ovatum and C. pachyphyllum, the nuts of which are 

 very similar to each other. It is impossible, not having seen 

 the tree from which the nuts were obtained, to say to which 

 species the nuts belong which are being sent to you. Pili nuts 

 are to some extent cultivated in southeastern Luzon inter- 

 planted with coconuts." (Barrett.) For distribution later. 



CANAVALI SPP. (Fabaceae.) 34705-709. Seeds from Miami , 

 Florida. Grown by Mr. Edward Simmonds at the Plant Introduc- 

 tion Field Station. "This seed was received in 1908 from Mr. 

 J. S. Houser of the Cuban Experiment Station. It has proven 

 very satisfactory as a green manure crop at Miami, the plants 

 continuing to grow throughout the winter season." (Simmonds.) 

 For a discusson of two of the species of this genus, see Mr. 

 C. V. Piper's "The Jack Bean and the Sword Bean" in Miscel- 

 laneous papers, Circular No. 110, Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 just published. For distribution later. 



CLIANTHUS PUNICEUS. (Fabaceae.) 34716. Seeds of the 

 kowhai from Wellington, New Zealand. Presented by Mr. G. J. 

 Clapham, Public Works Department. "A white-flowered form of 

 the kowhai, which in its scarlet-flowered form is one of the 

 most gorgeous of New Zealand flowering plants. With its 

 flowers two inches in length in long pendulous racemes and its 

 heavy, dark-green glossy pinnate leaves it should prove a de- 

 sirable addition to the drooping shrubs suitable for growing 

 in regions having but slight frosts. The flowers are said to 

 be pollinated by birds in its native haunts." (Blackwell and 

 Laing, Plants of New Zealand.) For distribution later. 



CURCUMA LONGA. ( Zinziberaceae . ) 34773. Roots of turmeric 

 from Usumbwa, German East Africa. Presented by the Usumbwa 

 Company, Post Tabora, Usumbwa. "Resembles ginger in the 

 nature and form of its rhizomes and rounded tubers, but larger 

 and shorter. In commerce they are separated into longs and 

 rounds. In India much of the turmeric is used for dyeing 

 silk, because the tuber contains a starch associated with a 

 coloring matter (curcumine), of a beautiful orange yellow. 

 Because of its essential aromatic oil it is used as a condi- 

 ment in the Far East and especially in the manufacture of 

 curry. Many tribes of Polynesia use it to stain their bodies 

 and their hair. Curcuma is known still in the spice trade 

 under the name of Indian saffron, and in the West Indies. 



