54 



1480. TTrtica dioica. Stinging nettle. 



From France. Eeceived through Mr. W. T. Swingle, December, 1898. (4 pack- 

 ages.) 



" Ortie dioique." " Grande ortie." 



" Perennial, of long duration; gives several cuts of early green forage, of good 

 quality, especially when half- wilted. It is preferred by cows, and much used for 

 mules. The seed, which is oleaginous, is preferred by the fowls and used by horse 

 dealers for the feed of horses. It grows in arid, sandy, and stony land, on dust piles, 

 along the roadside, on the outskirts of the woods, and, finally, also in very dry or 

 very cold places where few other plants would succeed as well. To be sown with but 

 a slight cover over the seed, either in spring or at the end of the summer and in 

 autumn. It frequently does not sprout until the following spring. Stalk textile." 

 ( Vilmorin.) 



In spite of its various uses the nettle is hardly to be recommended for cultivation. 

 The seed weighs about 15£ pounds per bushel; 9 pounds is required per acre. 



1481. Isatis tinctoria. Dyer's woad. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, December, 1898. (6 pack- 

 ages.) 



"Pastel." "Vouede." "Guede." 



u Biennial ; forage green, very hardy ; will bear frosts and is very early ; good winter 

 and spring pasture for sheep, on dry and calcareous lands. It accommodates itself 

 to mediocre, sandy, gravelly, or even calcareous soils. When cultivated for the col- 

 oring matter it demands a richer soil than for forage, and must not be acid. The 

 seed, it is said, may be used as feed for cattle. 



"This plant, which may render very important services on account of its extreme 

 earliness and the quality of its forage, merits a far more frequent employment on 

 very poor lands. Sown from March to July, sometimes in autumn, in very fertile 

 soils." {Vilmorin.) 



The seed weighs about 7f pounds per bushel; 9 to 11 pounds is sown per acre. 



1482. Sanguisorba sanguisorba. Common field burnet. 



From France. Received through W. T. Swingle, December, 1898. (13 packages.) 



"Pimpernelle ordinaire." 



" Perennial ; excellent pasture even in winter, especially for sheep and rabbits ; 

 soils of the poorest, dry, sandy, or calcareous ; it resists the extremes of heat and 

 cold. In some localities the seed is ground to feed cattle. To be sown from March 

 to September, either alone or with esparcet, with white or violet clover, wild 

 chicory, rye grass," etc. ( Vilmorin.) 



The seed weighs about 23 pounds per bushel; 27 pounds is sown per acre. 



1483. Yicia monantha. One-flowered lentil. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, December, 1898. (42 

 packages.) 



"Jarosse d'Auvergne," "Lentille a une fleur." 



" Forage annual of good quality ; seeds used like the lentils; excellent for very 

 poor, sandy, siliceous, or schistose soils. To be sown in autumn with a little rye or 

 oats to support it." ( Vilmorin. ) 



The seed weighs 58 to 62 pounds per bushel ; 71 to 90 pounds is sown per acre. 



1484. Kaphanus satiyus. Radish. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, February, 1899. (8 pack- 

 ages.) 



"The Ardeche field radish, which is grown in the south of France more for feed- 

 ing cattle than for table use. It is a very long-rooted and rather late radish, and 

 yields a heavier crop of leaves than of roots. It is a plant of no account for kitchen- 

 garden culture, and even for cattle-feeding purposes neither it nor the corkscrew 

 radish is very extensively grown. Experience has shown, however, that they are 

 not without merit in this respect, and we think that in many cases it would be found 

 advantageous to cultivate some of the larger varieties of radishes for cattle-feeding 

 purposes, as is done in the case of beet roots, carrots, and turnips." 



The seed represents a recently improved strain of this variety, and may prove of 

 interest as a fodder crop. 



