53 



3135. Pistacia vera. Pistache. 



From Naples. Italy. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingie, May. 1S99. 



"The pistache is a small tree, native of eastern Mediterranean countries, and is said 

 to have been introduced into Italy by Viteilinus. the governor of Syria, during the 

 reign of the Emperor Tiberius. It is now cultivated in all of the warmer regions 

 about the Mediterranean. The deciduous leaves are usually composed of live leaflets. 

 It bears the staminate and pistillate flowers on different trees. The fruits, which are 

 first green, then reddish, and finally almost black, are about the size of olives ami 

 contain a nut of delicious flavor, much like the almond. The shell of the pistache 

 nut is easily opened by the lingers, exposing the greeni>h meat, which is usual] 

 ered with a yellow or reddish pellicle. These nuts are employed by confection- 

 ers and are used in making ice cream. They are delicious to eat. roasted. The tree 

 will grow in almost any warm country, but does not produce an abundance of good 

 fruit except on dry hills having a deep soil and an exposure to the south. It is 

 much injured by standing water, and is said to be difficult to irrigate. It resists 

 drought very well, however, and will doubtless succeed in many parts of California 

 without irrigation. In order for the fruit to be of the best quality the plant needs 

 plenty of sunlight. Seels may be sown in February. In order to preserve the seeds 

 for sowing, the ripe fruits are stratified in pots during the autumn and winter and 

 finally planted in February. The young plants have a strongly developed tap root, 

 which necessitates their being transplanted if possible during the first year and at 

 least by the end of the second season. The best varieties can be propagated only by 

 grafting, or better by making dormant buds in late summer. In southern France 

 ami in Greece the pistache i- commonly grafted on the terebinth l Pistacia terebinthus) . 

 I See No. 3149. ) One tree in five, or at least one of eight, should be male, or else 

 branches of the male tree should be grafted on the bearing pistache. The trees 

 attain great age. especially when grafted on the terebinth. They should be planted 

 about 20 feet apart. The tree grows slowly and begins to bear within two or three 

 years from grafting, and within eight or ten years from seed. The fruit is picked 

 when fully ripe and laid away to dry on trays in the shade. They are kept in a dry 

 place. In order to introduce this valuable nut tree into America it will first be 

 necessary to plant seed both of the pistache and of the terebinth to serve as stocks on 

 which to graft the improved varieties. This shipment consists of seeds of Sicilian 

 pistaches." I Swingle.) 



3136. IrcuKBiTA pepo. Vegetable marrow. 



From Xaples. Italy. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle. May. 1899. 



Cocozzella, snow-white of Belmonte. A dwarf vegetable marrow, with long, curved, 

 white fruits: said to be very fine. (See No. 3132. i 



3137. Cucurbita pepo. Vegetable marrow. 

 From Xaples. Italy. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May. 1899. 



Long green bush or Neapolitan Cocozzella. (See Xo. 3132. 



3138. Angelica syxyestris. Angelica. 



From Xaples. Italy. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle. May. 1S99. 



Received as Angelica anomala. Said to have much more fleshy leaf and stalk than 

 the ordinary Angelica (A rchangelica officinalis). Of this latter plant Vilmorin says: 



" The stems and leaf >talks are eaten preserved with sugar. The leaves are als< i 

 as a vegetable in some parts of Europe. The root, which is splendidly shaped, is 

 employed in medicine. It is sometimes called ' The Root of the Holy G-host. ; The 

 seeds enter into the composition of various liqueurs/'' 



3139. Rhus coriaria. Tanner's sumac. 



From Xaples. Italy. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle. May. 1S99. 



"The leaves of this shrub, dried and ground, form the commercial sumac which is 

 used for tanning. It requires well-drained calcareous soils. The percentage of tan- 

 nin in the leaves is higher in dry than in humid climates. This bushy small tree 

 sometimes attains a height of 10 feet. It is cultivated in Italy and Spain, but more 

 especially in Sicily. It prefers a hot climate, and a dry soil frequently yields the 

 best product. The plant is usually propagated by planting the stolons in ditches in 



