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4265. Cucurbita maxima. Squash. 



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

 304a), December 28, 1899. 



A small, round variety. Both this variety and No. 3985 were compared with 15 

 European sorts grown in Egypt and found superior to them, both in amount of flesh 

 and in sweetness. The trials were made by Mr. George Bonaparte, of Gizeh, near 

 Cairo. (Eeprinted from Inventory No. 6). 



4266. Triticum vulgare. Wheat. 



From Japan. Presented by Prof. Setsuseharo Tawaka, of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege, Imperial University, Komaba, Tokyo, Japan. Received January 4, 1900. 



Aha- Yemide. A small sample of a red chaff variety of wheat. Distributed. 



4267. Triticum vulgare. Wheat. 



From Japan. Presented by Prof. Setsusehuro Tawaka, of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege, Imperial University, Komaba, Tokyo, Japan. Received January 4, 1900. 



Shiro- Yemide. A small sample of a white chaff wheat. Distributed. 



4268. Stachys affinis. Crosne. 



Grown in Pennsylyania from stock imported from France. Receiyed January 6, 

 1900. 



Chinese artichokes. "The most important of the new vegetables introduced by 

 Paillieux from China. I find them very good and think they will find fayor in 

 America for much the same uses as new potatoes. 



"This is a perennial herb with simple or branched four-sided stems, 12 to 16 

 inches high. The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped, cordate at the base, crinkled 

 and rough, and the flowers are borne in whorls of 4 to 6 on the upper part of the 

 stems. The tubers are borne on the rootstocks in the same maimer as potatoes. They 

 resemble a string of coarse beads closely crowded together and flattened at their ends. 

 When prepared according to French methods, the tubers are cooked from twelye to 

 fifteen minutes. If boiled for a longer time they soften and become watery. They 

 are seryed with sauces like broad beans, and possess a delicious but delicate flayor. 

 They may be fried or cooked in a variety of ways or may be used in salads alone 

 or with other yegetables. They also make fine pickles with onions, peppers, and gher- 

 kins. The plant is hardy, resisting seyere cold. It is propagated from the tubers. 

 These are set out in rows in a rich, loamy, clay soil very early in the spring, about 

 potato-planting time. They are covered to the depth of 6 or 8 inches in hills 16 

 inches apart. The Aveeds are kept down during the summer, but the ground must 

 not be stirred after the 1st of October, so as not to disturb the new tubers which are 

 forming about that time. They will be ready to dig in November. The chief 

 difficulty with the stachys is the difficulty of keeping the tubers after digging. They 

 should be stored in a cellar in dry sand or earth and kept at a low temperature until 

 required for the table. In France yields of 5 or 6 tons of stachys tubers per acre are 

 often obtained. The stachys is a lover of moist, cool situations and does not thrive 

 where exposed to great heat." {Swingle.) Distributed. 



4269. Citrullus vulgaris. Watermelon. 



From Monetta, S. C. Received January 4, 1900. 

 Mathis. A new watermelon of superior quality and productiveness, shaped like 

 the Kolb Gem, but larger, brighter green, with brighter stripes, and white seeds. 

 The melons range from 30 to 100 pounds in weight and average from 700 to 1,000 to 

 the carload. A carload (32,000 pounds) shipped from Monetta during the season of 

 1899 contained 700 melons, which averaged 46 pounds each. The vines are very 

 thrifty and prolific. The yield often reaches 1 carload per acre. The Mathis is a 

 fine snipper. Plant and cultivate as for other watermelons. 



4270. Hechtia. 



From HermosilL 

 18, 1899. 



For foreign exchange 



From Hermosillo, Mexico. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, December 

 18, 1899. 



