623 



PERSEA AMERICANA. (Lauraceae.) 34698. Seeds of avocado 

 from Rome, Italy. Presented by Dr. Gustav Elsen. "The tree in 

 question is in all probability about 100 years old and, though 

 I do not know for certain, I think it likely to have been im- 

 ported from Mexico by, or at least at the time of, Valadier, 

 the French gardener and architect, who in the beginning of the 

 nineteenth century arranged the Pincio garden. The tree is 

 growing there in perfect vigor and health. Perhaps about 

 forty feet high and the trunk several feet in diameter. The 

 variety is one which I have never seen on the Pacific Coast of 

 Mexico or Central America. The fruit being 3| inches long by 

 2\ inches wide, pear-shaped, that is, tapering toward the 

 stalk end. This year there were 100 fruits or over, all 

 arriving at perfect maturity in October and November, the last 

 ones being picked about November 15. The earlier fruits are 

 larger and may average from ^ inch to 1 inch more than the 

 size given above, which refers to the late fruits. In quality 

 this fruit is equal to the very best that I have eaten in 

 Guatemala and Mexico, and is of exquisite flavor. The seed is 

 perfectly round, pale yellow brown and evidently perfectly 

 developed. The variety is also characterized by its pre- 

 cocity, ripening before frost. It will succeed, without any 

 doubt, in most parts of California, Arizona, southern Texas, 

 the Gulf States generally, in a word in any territory extend- 

 ing from the northern limit of the hardiest orange southward, 

 that means San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, in California, 

 the Coast Range, etc. Introduced to this territory the tree 

 would prove of immense value and would enter at once into 

 active competition with the Mexican and Island avocados now 

 imported and sold at a prohibitive price." (Eisen. ) As the 

 temperatures in Rome average from 44.6 F. to 76.1, with an 

 absolute minumum of 17.2 F. , it will be seen that this tree 

 has considerable promise. However its location may be a very 

 sheltered one, and Dr. Eisen's optimistic report may have to 

 be modified considerably after tests in this country. For 

 distribution later. 



PITTOSPORUM RALPHII. ( Pi t tosporaceae . ) 34722. Seeds 

 from Wellington, New Zealand. Presented by Mr. G. J. Clap- 

 ham, Public Works Department. "A beautiful, somewhat laxly 

 branched shrub 15 to 20 feet in height, found in the central 

 district of the North Island of New Zealand. Its dark-crimson 

 fascicled little flower bells with their slightly emergent 

 yellow anther tips, resting on the downy white young foliage, 

 make it, when in bloom, one of the most attractive of the 

 large New Zealand shrubs." (Blackwell and Laing, Plants of 

 New Zealand.) For distribution later . 



