1047 



food products of that country, and may be said to be 

 the staple food of the poorer classes. The seed, 

 which is considerably larger than a pea, is encased 

 in short, thick, hairy pods and forms, when roasted, 

 the parched pulse of the East, and for this reason is 

 sometimes known as the Egyptian pea. Chickpeas seem 

 to thrive best in more or less arid regions, and for 

 this reason the soil in the Seville consular district 

 seems to be particularly suitable, owing to the in- 

 tense heat and dryness of the summer months, and this 

 district, which comprises the provinces of Seville, 

 Cordoba, Cadiz,, Huelva, Badajoz and Caceres, produces 

 over half of the chickpeas grown in Spain. In that 

 territory, the sowing is generally done in the month 

 of March, and the crops are usually collected when 

 the plants are perfectly dry at the beginning of 

 August. It is said, however, that this practice is 

 not to be recommended, as chickpeas which dry in the 

 pods before being cut become exceptionally hard and 

 are difficult to cook, as is not the case if they are 

 collected when the plants become somewhat yellow, be- 

 fore they are absolutely dry, and are then piled in 

 small heaps, and left to dry in a granary or well 

 aired room." (Gracey.) 



Cordeauxia edulis Hemsley. (Caesalpiniaceae. ) 43260. 

 Seeds of the Yeheb Nut from Aden, Arabia. Presented 

 by Mr. A. G. Watson, American Vice-Consul, who ob- 

 tained them from the Acting Governor of Italian Soma- 

 liland at Mogadiscio. A tree or shrub whose seeds 

 have a high food value, and form an important article 

 of commerce on the east coast of Africa, where they 

 are eaten by the natives in preference to rice and 

 dates. The plant grows where long droughts occur, the 

 temperature not going below freezing. It quickly 

 forms a long tap root, has evergreen leaves which 

 stain the fingers magenta when crushed. It might be 

 an excellent plant for the arid southwest. (Fairchild.) 



Enbothrium coccineum Forster. (Proteaceae. ) 43270. 

 Seed from Bariloche, Argentina. Presented by Dr. 

 Joseph Vereertbrugghen. A handsome evergreen shrub, 

 about two feet in height, with oval, smooth, dark 

 green leaves, nearly three inches long. The flowers 

 are bright scarlet, and grow in racemes. This plant 

 is chiefly confined to the Straits of Magellan and 

 Tierra del Fuego , not reaching to Cape Horn. (Adapted 

 from Curtis 's Botanical Magazine, vol. 81, plate 



