94 



similar to those of Sea Island cotton, from which it is supposed to be remotely- 

 descended; bloom large and yellow; bolls small, three-locked, sharp-pointed; lint 

 white, fine, silky, remaining compact after the bolls open; fiber about 1^ inches 

 long, very strong, with a well-developed twist, making it cling together like wool. 

 The best Abbasi brings the highest price of any cotton produced in Egypt. The 

 Abbasi requires a long season, and may succeed well in this country only in the 

 southern part of the cotton belt, where it may be planted in March and harvested as 

 late as November. A rather dry, sandy loam upland, retaining moisture below the 

 surface, is best for its growth. Fertilize and prepare the land as for ordinary upland 

 cotton. Plant in rows about 5 feet apart, leaving the plants 20 inches apart in the 

 row; cultivate sufficiently to keep the surface continually mellow until the plants 

 begin to bloom. Pick as soon as possible after the bolls are open, to prevent injury 

 to the lint from exposure. The fiber should be ginned on a roller gin to obtain the 

 best results and produce a fiber that will compare favorably with imported Egyptian 

 cotton. Seed for planting should be selected from the early pickings, which usually 

 produce the best fiber. Previous trials of this variety in this country indicate that 

 the yield the first year is likely to be smaller than after the plants have become 

 acclimated by growing here two or three generations." {Dewey. ) 



4331. GrOSSYPIUM HEKBACEUM. Cotton. 



From Arkansas. Received February, 1900. 



Eldorado. "A recently developed variety of much promise. Plant robust, erect, 

 46 feet high, with numerous spreading branches; bolls above medium size, very 

 numerous, giving a large yield of seed cotton, maturing early; lint below the average 

 percentage, because of the comparatively large seed, but with long staple, com- 

 manding one-quarter to 1 cent above the average market price. Its growth and 

 production at the experiment station at Newport, Ark. , during the last three years, 

 indicate it to be the most profitable variety for that region. It is recommended for 

 trial in sandy loam or alluvial soils. Plant in drills 4J to 5 feet apart, leaving plants 

 20 inches apart in the drill." {Dewey. ) 



4332. Lotus uliginosus. Swamp Clover. 



From France. Received February 2, 1900. 



This is a slender, branching clover with heads of rather large, yellow flowers, 

 and slender, elongated pods. It is a native of Northern Europe, where it is esteemed 

 for swampy meadow lands. It is now cultivated in Wisconsin and Minnesota on 

 sour, peaty, or muck soils. 



4333. Mucuna utilis. Velvet bean. 



From Florida. Received January, 1900. 



The velvet bean is apparently a native of India, and has been in cultivation as 

 an ornamental garden plant for a good many years. It is believed to have been first 

 introduced into this country by the Department of Agriculture for this purpose about 

 25 or 30 years ago. In favorable localities it often forms vines 30 to 50 feet in length. 

 It is an excellent plant for quickly covering unsightly objects or arbors. The purple 

 flowers are borne in clusters at intervals of 2 to 3 feet at the joints of the stem. These 

 are followed by clusters of short, cylindrical pods, covered with the black, velvety down 

 which has given the name to the plant. Each pod contains 3 to 6 large, rounded, 

 brown and white mottled seeds. The pods are constricted laterally between the 

 seeds, and are often more or less curved. 



In Florida the seed is sown in drills 4 feet apart, from 2 to 4 seeds being planted 

 in hills 2 feet apart in the row. The seed may be dropped in furrows when the 

 ground is plowed and covered 2 to 3 inches deep. The crop should be cultivated 

 several times. In orange groves and orchards the beans may be sown in drills 4 to 

 5 feet apart, and not less than 5 feet away from the trees, in order to keep the vines 

 out of them. They make a better mulch crop in the orchard than cowpeas, because 

 when the vines are cut down by a frost they form a tangled mass which retains the 

 leaves and protects the soil from rain and sun. The leaves stay on the vines longer 

 than on cowpeas. Farther north the seeds should be sown thicker, in drills 2 to 3 

 feet apart, or broadcast at the rate of 1 to 2 bushels per acre. The velvet bean makes 

 its best growth on the lighter, sandy soils. 



