758 



Attalea funifera. (Phoenicaceae . ) Seeds of the pias- 

 sava palm from Bahla, Brazil. "A large, pinnate-leaved 

 palm, found in certain sections of the state of Bahia. It 

 is valuable because of the fiber which it furnishes, as 

 well as for its hard, black fruits, which are used to make 

 buttons. The oily kernel, elliptical and nearly two 

 inches in length, is used as an article of food by the 

 natives of the poorer classes. Piassava fiber is an im- 

 portant article of export at Bahia, and the manufacture of 

 piassava brooms forms an industry of considerable extent. 

 The fiber is extracted from the leaf stalks, and is 

 coarse, stiff and cinnamon brown in color." (Dorsett, 

 Popenoe, and Shainel introduction.) 



Campomanesia fenzliana . (Myrtaceae.) 37834. Plants of 

 a guabiroba from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Purchased of 

 Eickhoff, Carneiro, Leao & Co. "A small Brazilian myrta- 

 ceous tree with foliage remarkably similar to that of some 

 of the European oaks. The common name 'guabiroba', which 

 is applied to it, is also given, with various minor vari- 

 ations such as 'gabiroba 1 and 'guabiraba', to several 

 fruits of the two allied genera Abbevillea and Campo- 

 manesia. Although occasionally reaching a height of from 

 30 to 35 feet, the guabiroba as commonly seen in gardens 

 is a tree of from 20 to 25 feet in height, rather sparsely 

 foliated, with elliptical-ovate entire leaves about two 

 inches in length, the veins depressed on the dorsal sur- 

 face, prominent on the ventral surface. The fruits great- 

 ly resemble small guavas, being from three-fourths to one 

 inch in diameter, oblate in form, the apex crowned by a 

 large disk and prominent 5-parted calyx. In color they 

 are orange yellow when fully ripe, the surface slightly 

 wrinkled and covered with a thick tomentum or down. The 

 skin is thin, and surrounds a layer of granular light yel- 

 low pulp which encloses the seeds arid the soft pulp in 

 which they are embedded. The flavor is similar to that of 

 the guava, but frequently a little stronger. The principal 

 use to which the fruits are put is the manufacture of jams 

 and jellies. The tree seems likely to prove suitable for 

 cultivation in south Florida and southern California." 

 (Dorsett, Popenoe, and Shamel introduction.) 



Citrus grandis . (Rutaceae.) 37724. Plant of a seedless 

 pomelo from Siam. Presented by Mr. Harry Boyle, Assistant 

 Horticulturist, Department of Agriculture, Philippine 

 Islands. "On September 13 the writer proceeded to the 

 Nakoi Chisii district where the finest pomelo orchards are 

 located. The largest of these was owned by a Chinese 

 planter and contained about 20 hectares, three-fourths of 



