702 



Amygdalus persica. (Amygdalaceae . ) 35485. Seeds of a 

 peach from the Kurrara Valley, Northwest Frontier Province, 

 India. Presented by Consul-General Henry D. Baker, who 

 secured them from Major G. J. Davis, Commandant, Kurram 

 Militia, Parachinar, Kurram Valley. "The Shalil grows 

 like a peach which it much resembles, and has about the 

 same blossom. The flesh is yellow and sweet, but it is 

 not so juicy as that of the peach. Major Davis considers 

 that it would be a particularly valuable fruit for cooking 

 or canning, as the flesh being harder than that of a peach 

 would probably not break so easily and could be more 

 easily manipulated for such purposes. It grows at about 

 5600 feet elevation. The only reference I can find to the 

 Shalil in any book I have on India is in the Imperial 

 Gazetteer of the Northwest Province, wherein it states as 

 regards the Kurram Valley: The climate varies. In the 

 winter even Lower Kurram is very cold and a bitter wind 

 prevails while in the summer it is hot and dry. Upper 

 Kurram is never unpleasantly hot even in summer, while in 

 winter snow covers the ground for weeks. Wherever water 

 is available for irrigation the soil is highly productive, 

 but owing to the absence of a settled government and the 

 internal feuds of the people, the cultivable area is not 

 all under cultivation, and irrigation is only carried on 

 by small canals constructed and maintained by a single 

 hamlet or family. Apples, pears, grapes, cherries, pome- 

 granates, peaches, and a fruit peculiar to the Kurram and 

 Tirah, known as the Shalil, also grow; and with improved 

 communications fruit-growing will probably become an im- 

 portant industry. Famine is unknown in Kurram." (Baker.) 

 For distribution later. 



Arbutus canarieusis . (Ericaceae.) 36529. Seeds of the 

 madronho from Teneriffe, Canary Islands. Presented by 

 Dr. George V. Perez, Puerto Orotava. "The madronho is be- 

 coming very rare here, but it is still found in the moun- 

 tain ravines. It will not stand frost." (Perez.) "It 

 is one of the most beautiful shade trees that is grown 

 around Naples and should be tested for park and street 

 purposes in Florida and Southern California. Its clean 

 pink and green bark and dark green foliage make it a most 

 strikingly beautiful object." (Fairchild.) For distri- 

 bution later. 



Carica papaya. (Papayaceae . ) 36273, 36275-278. Seeds 

 of papayas from Theophilo Ottoni, Minas Geraes, Brazil. 

 Presented by Mr. Fred Birch. Several varieties of pa- 

 payas, some with small seed cavities, and of excellent 

 quality, others from so-called "male" trees, others of 

 good keeping and shipping qualities. For distribution 

 later. 



