783 



therefore they often fall a prey to frost before they can 

 expand. Nevertheless it is a good kind of plant, for in 

 those seasons when it does escape injury it adds a bril- 

 liant touch of color to the garden at a very dull season. 

 There are several forms of the plant, some having decidu- 

 ous leaves, and in other cases the leaves are evergreen or 

 sub-evergreen." (The Garden, Jan. 11, 1913.) 



Soja max. (Fabaceae.) 38450-462. Seeds of the soy- 

 bean from Sianfu, Shensi, China. Thirteen varieties of 

 this important Chinese crop plant, hitherto called Glycine 

 Idspida in the Office publications. Mr. C. -V. Piper has 

 recently shown that the name should be Soja max and we 

 have listed the introductions here to direct attention to 

 the change. (Meyer's introductions.) 



Zea mays. (Poaceae.) 38544. Ears of corn from the 

 Upper Gy Parana River, Brazil. Collected by Mr. Leo E. 

 Miller, of New York, collector for the Roosevelt Brazilian 

 Expedition. "Corn received from the 'Pauetes' or 'Fowetes 1 

 Indians on the Upper Gy Parana (Machabo) River, Brazil. 

 This tribe of Indians was absolutely unknown. I was the 

 first person to come into contact with them. The Gy Parana 

 flows into the Madeira." (Miller.) 



NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD. 



Rev. W. M. Kayes writes from Tsingchowfu, Shantung, 

 China, May 25, 1914. "I do not know whether Mr. Meyer, 

 when through this section, secured specimens of the Chinese 

 winter pear or not. We are eating them on the table every 

 day now, and they will last some time yet. This variety 

 is really not ripe until the next spring after it is 

 picked, and while not as luscious as a good apple, yet it 

 fills a vacancy in April and May very acceptably. As you 

 know that is a season when the housewives find it diffi- 

 cult to provide for the table. 



"Thanks for what you say about "peach grafting: the 

 Chinese bud too, but they find grafting more satisfactory 

 because it gives quicker results. They do not use grafting 

 wax, but use a heavy ball of clay, as much as they can make 

 adhere to the limb, and tie it on with a species of tough 

 pliant leaves. I find that oiled paper though will do 

 equally well. Tue point in wrapping the clay with the 

 leaves is to keep it from being washed away in the rains. 

 If the season should be a prolonged dry one, which we are 

 very liable to have here in the spring, then they tear off 

 the top of the wrapping and pour in water enough to mois- 

 ten the clay again." 



Mr. Frank N. Meyer writes from Peking, China, June 4, 

 1914, suggesting the following tentative itinerary for the 

 coming year. Certain changes in it will no doubt be nee- 



