897 



Dioscorea fasciculata Rcxb. (Dloscoreaceae . ) 40892. Tubers 

 of a yam from Manila. Presented by Mr. H. T. Edwards, 

 Director, Bureau of Agriculture. "Tugue. Flesh white, 

 and mealy but firm and a little fibrous, sweetish. The 

 quality is not equal to that of the yampi of Jamaica." 

 (R. A. Young.) 



Durio zibethiiius Murray . (Malvaceae. ) 40826. Seeds from 

 the Botanic Gardens, Buitenzorg, Java. Presented by the 

 Director. "A very large, handsome, pyramid-shaped tree, 

 native of the Malayan Archipelago, and commonly cultivated 

 in the Straits, Burma, Java, etc., for the sake of its 

 celebrated fruit. The latter is produced on the older 

 branches, varies somewhat from round to oval in shape, and 

 usually weighs from five to seven pounds or more. It is 

 armed with thickly set formidable prickles about one-half 

 Inch long; when ripe it becomes slightly yellow, and pos- 

 sesses an odour which is intensely offensive to most 

 people, especially on first acquaintance with it. The 

 cream-coloured pulp surrounding the seed is the edible 

 portion; this is most highly prized by the Malays and 

 oriental people, arid is also relished by Europeans who ac- 

 quire a taste for it. Firminger describes it as 'resemb- 

 ling blanc-mange, delicious as the finest cream,' whilst 

 Mr. Russell Wallace considered that 'eating durians is a 

 sensation worth a voyage to the East. 1 The large seeds 

 may be roasted and eaten like chestnuts. Pounded into 

 flour, they are said to be sometimes made into a substance 

 like 'vegetable-ivory. ' The durian tree thrives in the 

 moist low-country of Ceylon up to 2000 feet elevation, and 

 luxuriates in deep alluvial or loamy soil. In Peradeniya 

 Gardens, there are magnificent specimens well over 100 

 feet in height. They usually flower in March or April, 

 and the fruit is ripe in July or August. Durian fruits 

 are variable in size, shape, flavour and quantity of pulp, 

 according to variety. The trees also vary in productive- 

 ness, some varieties being almost barren. Selection and 

 high cultivation should therefore be practised in order to 

 obtain the best fruits. The tree is readily propagated by 

 seed if sown fresh; the seed is of short vitality and ger- 

 minates in seven to eight days . " (Macmillan, Handbook of 

 Tropical Gardening and Planting.) 



Passiflora alata Curtis . (Pass! floraceae .) 40843. Seeds 

 of a passion-fruit from Honolulu, Hawaii. Presented by 

 Mr. Garret P. V/ilder. "This is a strong vigorous vine, 

 very suitable for arbors and trellises. It is not common- 

 ly found in Hawaii; however, a very fine specimen of its 



