20 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



17094 and 17095- Continued. 



enous matter. It possesses, too, a sufficient quantity of starchy matter to con- 

 stitute a fairly hygienic diet. Teff is utilized as follows: Ground into Hour; 

 made into a semiliquid or thin paste consistencj by adding water, and placed 

 in earthen jars. The leaves of the 'Geaho' i gesho) plant, which yield a fer- 

 ment, are added. When fermentation is complete the sirupy mixture is slowly 

 poured on the surface of well-heated, circular, flat baking pans. After a cer- 

 tain amount of manipulation and turning o\ er, a semiaerated, flat, round cake 

 is the result. This keeps for months without deterioration, is broken into 

 fragments and .hied in the sun. The dried bread is used as their chief supply 

 when at war or on expeditions. Teff undoubtedly possesses highly nutritious 

 qualities and is decidedly more digestible than wheat. It could therefore be 

 exploited as an invalid food. Ten isnol known to possess distinct drought- 

 resisting properties." I Extract from letter from the British consul at AdisAbaba, 

 Abyssinia. I 



17096. Phaseoltjs RADIATUS. Mung bean. 



From Augusta, Ga. Received through the N. L. Willet Seed Company, January 

 12, I l 



.V iruiii ii. 



17097 to 17100. 



From Charming, Tex. Received through Mr. A. II. Leidigh, January 12, 1906. 



17097. Turner m duri m. Macaroni wheat. 

 ■ Oos. < frown from No. 9872. 



17098. Triticum dicoccom. Black emmer. 

 < imw n from No. l L650. 



17099. PANICUM mil i m i.i m. Broom-corn millet. 

 Voronezh. < Irown from No. 9425. 



17100. Hobdkum vuxoake. Barley. 

 ■ Winter. I rrown from No. L1193. 



17101 to 17103. 



From Bibpur, Calcutta. India. Received through Mr. A. Gage, acting superin- 

 tendent, Royal Botanic Gardens, January 13, 1906. 



A c Election of tubers, as follows : 



17101. Amorphophallus campanulatcs. Stanley's washtub. 



The members of this genus of aroids are natives of India and other parts of 

 tropical Asia, where they are cultivated for the starch which is so abundant in 

 the rootstock. Amorphophallus campanulatus has a tuber weighing 8 to 10 

 pounds, shaped like a flat cheese; spathe nearly 2 feet broad and 15 inches 

 high, with a horizontal, spreading, fluted border, red-purple on the border, 

 then grayish white spotted and purple in the center. Doctor White says of 

 it that when in flower the fetor it exhales is most overpowering, and so per- 

 fectly resembles that of carrion as to induce flies to cover the club of the spadix 

 with their eggs. 



17102. CoLOCASIA ANTIQUORUM ESCULEXTA (?) 



(Labeled "Alocasia antiquorum.") 



17103. Alocasia indica. Alocasia. 



"These roots are cultivated to some extent throughout India, but do not 

 occupy so important a place in the domestic economy there as do the taros in 

 Polynesia or the yautias in tropical America." (Barrett.) 



106 



