14 



4258. Capsicum annuum. Pepper. 



From Capri, Italy. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 

 327), December 28, 1899. 



' 'A sample of seed of a native variety of red pepper ; very uniform in size and 

 shape; dark red. Bought in market at Capri; many-seeded; very showy color." 



4259. Capsicum annuum. Pepper. 



From Luxor, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 

 328), December 28, 1899. 



' 'A variety of very hot peppers introduced into upper Egypt from the Soudan. 

 Found growing in garden of Hadji Hammed Mohammet at Luxor. Fruits 

 bright red, very small when ripe, and full of flavor. The plant is a perennial in 

 hot countries but bears in one year from seed; highly prized by the natives." 



4260. Capsicum annuum. Pepper. 



From Assuan, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild 

 (No. 329), December 28, 1899. 



"Soudanese red pepper bought in the market in Assuan, in dried state; a 

 small form resembling ' bird pepper ' in shape and color." 



4261. Capsicum annuum. Pepper. 



From Luxor, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 

 330), December 28, 1899. 



" Dark red, few-seeded, vigorous grower, reported of Italian origin, from gar- 

 den of Hadji Mohammet." {Distributed.) 



4262. Lawsonia inermis. Henna. 



From Edfu, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 

 331), December 28, 1899. 

 ' ' Seeds of the Henna are ground and used for dyeing cloth a dull red ; also used 

 by the Arabs for dyeing the palms of the hands and the finger nails. A desert 

 shrub 9 or 10 feet high that deserves trial, as it lives without water from irriga- 

 tion. Should be tried as hedge plant in southern California. Grows easily from 

 cuttings. Blossoms white, fragrant. " 



4263. Lippia nodiflora. Lippia. 



From Cairo, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 

 332), December 28, 1899. 



"According to Ascherson and Schweinfurth the Lippia is a native of Egypt. 

 It has probably been used for lawn purposes for a great many years. 



" It is a low, creeping plant of the Verbena family, with broad, flat, obovate 

 leaves of a deep green color. The creeping stems throw out roots wherever they 

 come in contact with the earth, and form thick mats of herbage. It is well 

 known that in regions with climatic conditions similar to those of Egypt, grass 

 lawns are generally very difficult to maintain. Although there are several sub- 

 stitutes for lawn grasses, none that I have seen are as good as Lippia. Owing 

 to its rapid growth, the pla±_t can be mown closely and to a layman the lawn 

 effects resemble closely those produced by English lawn grasses. 



' ' In order to plant a lawn with Lippia the ground is prepared as it would be 

 for the reception of grass seed. A mass of old Lippia is dug from some neigh- 

 boring lawn or field. The native gardener cuts off or breaks off two or three 

 long cuttings of the plant, makes a hole with a pointed stick in the soft earth, 

 thrusts the cuttings, doubled up, into the hole and packs the earth securely about 

 them. These cuttings are placed about 4 to 6 inches apart, quite irregularly 

 over the field. They are given plenty of water, being sprinkled every day until 

 well started. In winter in Egypt the lawns made of this Lippia are watered 

 every 4 to 5 days, while in summer they are kept green by daily waterings. 

 Every 20 days the lawns are gone over with a scythe and in this way kept quite 

 closely mown. There is no evident reason why a lawn mower would not answer 

 the purpose better than a scythe. 



