IMPORTANCE OF PLANT INTRODUCTION 



79 



child May 9, 1901. One of the smallest and most 

 delicate tieans in the world. The beans are not much 

 larger than grains of rice and are of a deep green color. 

 They are said to be most delicious when cooked alone or 

 with rice in the national Greek dish called pilaff. Their 

 culture in Greece is restricted and the beans are con- 

 sidered a great delicacy. Prof. Th. de Heldreich, of 

 Athens University, called attention to this species, of 

 which he has made a special study. Probably a variety of 

 the gram of India (Phaseolus Mungo). Has proved of value 

 for cultivation on barren soils in the South. 



_ Phleum Boehmeri, Wibel. Boehmer's timothy. Grar 

 mineae. From the experiment grounds of the agricultural 

 academy, Moscow, Russia. Received through Mr. M. A. 

 Carleton, March, 1899. A promising grass for dry regions. 



Pistacia vera, Linn. Pistachio or Pistache. Anacar- 

 diaces. The Introduction of the pistache into California 

 promises to be a success, inasmuch as trees of this species 

 have already fruited well at Niles, California. The work 

 of introduction has been largely in the hands of Mr. 

 Swingle, and the best varieties have been secured from 

 Sicily ; the hardiest stocks have been collected by Mr. Swingle 

 from Asia Minor and Italy, and still hardier species than 

 these are being sought for by the OfSce in Northern and 

 Central China and Persia. The advantages of this pis- 

 tache industry, from which the delicious table nut used 

 extensively in the Levant is secured, is that the plants 

 will be likely to grow and bear well in localities where the 

 almond has proved a failure, owing to the late spring 

 frosts. The nut furnishes the flavoring extract known by 

 the same name, and is also a most delicate table nut when 

 roasted and salted. 



Poa mnlalensu, H. B. & K. Graminese. From Quito, 

 Ecuador. Presented by Mr. Luis Sodiro, S. J., through 

 Mr. David Fairchild. Received May 25, 1904. Mr. Sodiro 

 remarks that this is one of the most remarkable forage 

 grasses of the mountain regions of his country. 



Polygala butyracea. Polygala. Polygalacese. From 

 Paris, France. Received May 8, 1900. Presented by A. 

 Godefroy-Lebeuf . This plant produces a vegetable butter. 

 It will grow in summer in the hot sections of California 

 and Florida, and as the plants can be grown as annuals it 

 will probably prove successful. 



Polygonum Weyrichii, P. Schmidt. PolygonaceEB. A 

 species apparently having all the good qualities of Polyg- 

 onum Sachalinense, but with leaves more tender and 

 branches not so woody as in the latter species, which 

 forms the latter's chief objection. This species was dis- 

 covered by the Russian physician Dr. Weyrich. It came 

 originally from Sachalin island, and was introduced by 

 Mr. M. A. Carleton. It has been grown at the Imperial 

 Botanic Gardens of St. Petersburg. 



Portulaearia afra, Jacq. Portulaces. From Durban, 

 Natal. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild, 

 November 9, 1904. A native South African shrub, or 

 small tree, with succulent shoots which are said to be 

 keenly relished by live-stock. The plant is reported to 

 grow on dry, waste places without requiring attention. 

 The cuttings take root easily, and the plant may even be 

 propagated from the leaves. This species will probably 

 thrive only in a frostless region. It grows on hot, rocky 

 slopes, preferably of a doleritic nature, and is now being 

 grown for trial on the dry islands of the Hawaiian group. 

 Trials in Arizona showed it susceptible to the low teinper- 

 atures there. 



Quereus cornea, Lour. Oak. Cupuliferae. (Fig. 118, 

 Vol. I.) From Hongkong, China. Presented by Mr. S. T. 

 Dunn, Superintendent of the Botanical and Afforestation 

 Department, through Mr. David Fairchild. Received April 

 27, 1904. An evergreen oak, said to be very showy and 

 ornamental as grown on the island of Hoijgkbng. It bears 

 acorns with as hard shells as those of the hickory-nut, 

 and kernels almost as sweet as the i-#eetest Spanish 



c'-estnut. These acorns are sold in the markets of Canton 

 and Hongkong by the ton, and are keenly relished not 

 only by the Japanese, but by Europeans. Although difficult 

 to predict how hardy this species will be in America, it is 

 worthy of trial in all regions where citrous fruits can be 

 grown. 



Solanum Commersonii, Dunal. Aquatic potato. Solan- 

 acesB. (Fig. 103.) Introduced from Marseilles, France. 

 Secured through Dr. E. Heckel by Mr. David Fairchild. 

 Received January 2, 1904. The so-called "aquatic potato" 

 of Uruguay. This species is being experimented with by Dr. 

 Heckel, of Marseilles, who is breeding it with the ordinary 

 potato, and iinds that it gives successive crops on the 

 same soil without the necessity of replanting. It also 



Fic 103 Aqu itic votsito {SolanuTn Oommersonii) . Specimen 

 grown at Santa Rosa, Cal., by Luther Burbank. (Reduced.) 



gives abundant foliage, which he thinks may be used 

 for green forage. He further points out that, in his 

 opinion, the bitter flavor of the skin will protect the 

 potatoes against the depredations of subterranean ene- 

 mies. The special point to be emphasized in connection 

 with this new species, however, is its possible immunity 

 from the potato diseases. One difficulty in its culture con- 

 sists in the necessity of carefully working over the soil to 

 a depth of 15 cm., because the tubers are deeply buried 

 in it. It flowers abundantly, beginning in June and ending 

 in September, the flowers having a perfume similar to that 

 of jasmine. Their odor on a hot day is perceptible for 

 several meters. Planting takes place in southern France 

 by means of whole or cut tubers in April, and the harvest 

 is in October. Hybrids of this species with Solanum 

 tuberosum have been made by Burbank, who introduced it 

 previous to 1904. Dr. Heckel's experiments are reported 

 on in the Revue Horticole, No. 581, December, 1902, p. 

 200 ; Contribution 3, L'Btude Botanique de Solanum tuber- 

 if ores, par M.Bdouard Heckel, a separate publication. Doubt 

 has been expressed regarding the authenticity of the adver- 

 tized hybrids of this species. Promising for experiment. 



Sporobolus Lindleyi (S. pallidus), Lindl. Gramineae. A 

 slender-growing perennial grass. Grows on rich soil, and 

 is much relished by all kinds of stock. All colonies except 

 Tasmania. Introduced by J. H. Maiden, Sydney Botanic 

 Garden, March 1, 1904. 



Trifolium Alexandrinum, Linn. Egyptian Clover, or 

 Berseem. Leguminosse. (Fig. 91.) Berseem is the prin- 

 cipal winter fodder crop of Egypt. It is an annual, very 

 rapidly growing clover, adapted to irrigated conditions in 

 countries having a mild winter climate. It seems to be 

 injured by intense summer heat, which causes it to run 

 to seed prematurely, and it is killed by temperatures 

 below 25° F., in winter. It requires a large quantity of 

 water, and makes an exceedingly vigorous growth when 

 these conditions are met. As many as five cuttings of 

 excellent fodder are taken from a single seeding in Egypt. 

 The trials in America have not been successful, but expe- 

 rience seems to indicate that these trials have been made 

 without a due regard for the requirements of the plant. 

 Successful plots have been grown and seeded in the widely 

 separated regions of Galveston, Texas ; Phoenix, Arizona, 

 and Mecca, California ; and it is thought that this plant 

 will find a permanent place in the Southwest as an annual 

 winter fodder plant for irrigated regions. It is a wonder- 

 ful soil-enricher, and may find a place in the orchards of 



