40 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



19606 and 19607— Continued. 



discard as much as possible the bearded fruit. The presence of bearded seed 

 does not affect the price of the crop. Cumin is little subject to diseases, much 

 less so than anise, which is also much grown, but in moist springs is very, 

 liable to fail." (Borg.) 



19608 to 19610. Citrus spp. 



From Glen Saint Mary, Fla. Propagated by Mr. G. L. Taber for distribu- 

 tion by the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction and Distribution. Num- 

 bered January 5, 1907. 



Hybrid citrus fruits developed by Dr. II. J. Webber, in charge of the Depart- 

 ment Plant Breeding Laboratory. 



19608. Citrus tbifoliata X aueantium. Citrange. 

 Rustic. (P. B. No. 7S3.) Budded on Trifoliata stock. 



19609. Citrus trifoliata X aurantium. Citrange. 

 Colman. (P. B. No. 772.) Budded on Trifoliata stock. 



19610. Citurs nobilis X aurantium. Orange. 

 Thornton. (P. B. Thornton No. 5.) Budded on rough lemon stock. 



19611. Garcinia mangostana. Mangosteen. 

 From Buitenzorg, Java. Presented by Dr. M. Treub, director, Department 



of Agriculture. Received January 5, 1907. 



Seed. 



19612. Impatiens oliveri. 



From Kew, England. Presented by Dr. David Prain, director, Royal 

 Botanical Gardens. Received January 5, 1907. 



Seeds imported for breeding experiments. 



19616. Lagenaria vulgaris. Gourd. 



From Cape Town, South Africa. Presented by Hon. Horace Lee Wasbing- 

 ton, consul-general. Received December 20, 1906. 



" Within the past five years there has come into very general use in South 

 Africa a pipe made from the calabash. Pipe smokers who have used this 

 calabash pipe, practically without exception, say that it gives a special softness 

 of flavor that pipes of no other material offer. I believe this to be so and that 

 the demand for such a pipe in the American market would be very large, for 

 as soon as the pipe becomes known it will be appreciated. To be of benefit to 

 the fullest extent the calabash should be grown at home. 



" Great difficulty is experienced in securing the seed here. The farmers are 

 sometimes suspicious and boil the seed, and in any event it is not readily 

 obtained. The calabash pipe industry is proving a very remunerative one here 

 in Cape Colony, both to the growers of the calabash and those engaged in 

 making it into pipes, and also to the retail sellers. It grows in certain sec- 

 tions of Cape Colony with little difficulty, but seems to demand a very hot and 

 dry climate with rain at the right season of the year to reach perfection. The 

 curved stem end of the vegetable forms a light and appropriate shape for pipes. 

 It colors like meerschaum and can be highly polished. The life of one of these 

 pipes is about that of a French briar wood pipe. The usual lining is plaster of 

 paris, called by the trade " meerschaum." A cheap grade is lined with tin. 

 These pipes sell for from $1 to $62, according to the type of finish. Pipe mount- 

 ing and fitting being cheaper in England than here, large shipments are made 

 to England for mounting and returned here for sale. 



" The industry is being crippled here by the growers refusing to sell the 

 seeds of the calabash. It is extremely difficult, as stated above, to obtain them 

 from any source. The crop last year was estimated at 60,000 and this year at 

 about 150,000, but next season's prospects are not so good." (Washington.) 



" This can be grown successfully in the Southwest, and gourds have been 

 matured in Maryland from which beautiful pipes were made." (Fairchild.) 

 132 



