1321 



into fragrant white flowers 5 inches across. (Adapted 

 from Hooker, Flora of British India, vol. 1, p. 41.) 



Pomaderris elliptica (Rhamnaceae ) , 45892. Kumarahou. 

 From Auckland, New Zealand. Presented by Mr. H. R. 

 Wright. "A rare dwarf shrub belonging to the Auck- 

 land Province. This plant is difficult to transplant, 

 but is easily raised from seed. It flowers when two 

 years old and if kept well pinched back makes a glori- 

 ous specimen, being covered in spring with a mass of 

 yellow flowers. It grows on some of our poor clay 

 lands of a close nature, similar to that where the 

 heather grows." (Wright.) A branching shrub 4 to 8 

 feet high with the young branches, leaves and flower 

 clusters covered with white or buff-colored stellate 

 hairs. The ovate to oblong leaves are 2 to 3 inches 

 long, and the cymes of yellow flowers, with crisped- 

 margined petals , are clustered into large many-branched 

 panicles. Native name Kumarahou, (from "Kumara," a 

 tuber-like root, and "hou," growing deeply or strong- 

 ly.) (Adapted from Cheeseman, Manual of the New Zea- 

 land Flora, p. 99, and from Laing and Blackwell, 

 Plants of New Zealand, p. 236.) 



Pyrus communis (Malaceae), 45901. Pear. From Mis- 

 souri. Presented by Dr. J. C. Whitten, ^, College of 

 Agriculture, Columbia, Missouri. "The Surprise pear 



forwarded by Dr. Whitten of the College of Agricul- 

 ture, Columbia, Mo., is one of the most promising as 

 a blight-resistant pear and may prove of economic im- 

 portance as a stock for commercial varieties. As grown 

 by Prof. Reimer at Talent, Oregon, it was one of the 

 most vigorous of stocks and seemed to transmit this 

 vegetative character to nearly all varieties of pears 

 which were grafted or budded upon it. Its congeni- 

 ality, in other words, is to be commended. Dr. Whit- 

 ten says that the Surprise pear is apparently a pure 

 Pyrus communis. He further says that he received three 

 trees for trial from Stark Bros ., Louisiana, Mo., some 

 years ago. This variety is a large, vigorous grower. 

 It early begins the formation of short, spur-like 

 branches, which spread horizontally, with few of the 

 upright rank shoots customary to Kieffer and other 

 hybrids. The fruit is small, not much larger than 

 Seckel. It is moderately late, ripening only a little 

 ahead of Kieffer, and is of poor quality. The variety 

 bears profusely, however. Dr. Whitten says that he 

 does not remember having seen a trace of blight in any 



