JULY, 1906, TO DECEMBER, 1907. 59 



19994 to 19995. 



From Yokohama, Japan. Received through the Yokohama Nursery Com- 

 pany, March 14, 1907. 



Plants imported for use in matting-plant experiments. 



19994. Cypertjs tegetiformis. Matting sedge. 



19995. Juncus effusus. Matting rush. 



19996. COLOCASIA ANTIQUORUM ESCULENTA. TarO. 



From Funchal, Madeira. Received through Mr. David Fairchild, March 

 19, 1907. 



"(No. 017, Feb. 22, 1907.) Sets of the so-called Igname of Madeira. Prob- 

 ably, but not certainly, the white, or Branca, variety. According to one of 

 the green grocers here, John de Pontes, Rua dos Tanoeiros 40-42, these Ignames 

 sell for 3 cents to 4 cents a pound, while sweet potatoes sell for only 2 cents. 

 Crop comes in in February and ends in April. Keep well ; yield about one- 

 third that of sweet potatoes; plantations continually watered; planting at 

 all times of the year ; side rootstocks or tubers removed and the central stock 

 left to form a perpetual plantation. The growers in the country boil the 

 tubers before bringing them to market. Then they are brought down from 

 the hills in great baskets and sold in this boiled condition for 5 pence (10 cents) 

 a pound. They are very palatable and nourishing, I believe, and rank here 

 as more of a delicacy than the sweet potato. Only two kinds are known here 

 so far as I have ascertained." (Fairchild.) 



19997. COLOCASIA ANTIQUORUM ESCULENTA. TarO. 



From Funchal, Madeira. Received through Mr. David Fairchild, March 

 19, 1907. 



"(No. 018, Feb. 22, 1907.) Sets of the so-called Vermeilho, or red variety. 

 There seems to be little preference given to either of these sorts (this one and 

 S. P. I. No. 19996). These are just now coming into market as a crop. They 

 are peeled or scraped, then boiled three to four hours in salt water." (Fair- 

 child. ) 



19998. Juncus sp. Rush. 



From Caldas da Rainha, Portugal. Received through Mr. David Fairchild, 

 March 19, 1907. 



"(No. 018a, Feb. 28, 1907.) Roots and seeds of a very slender rush growing 

 in very sandy soil near the waterways of this* place. It is used for tying 

 vines to their supports all over this part of Portugal and is sold in the market 

 place. I measured some of the stems and found them 54 feet long. They 

 are unusually tough and slender. Mats are made from them also." (Fair- 

 child,) 



19999. Juncus sp. Rush. 



From Maorga, near Alcobasso, Portugal. Received through Mr. David 

 Fairchild, March 19, 1907. 



"(No. 019, Feb. 28, 1907.) Roots of a species of Juncus similar to, if not 

 identical with, No. OlSa, S. P. I. No. 19998, but from a field of Juncus which is 

 cut over every year. The soil is a light, sandy one, just like that on Cat 

 Island, S. C. : in fact, turpentine pines are growing all over the land. The 

 rush grows in swampy places which are dry during a period of the year. 

 Cutting is done in May. Used for matting and for tying vines." (Fairchild.) 



20001 to 20229. 



From Manchuria, northern Korea, and eastern Siberia. Received through 



Mr. Frank N. Meyer, agricultural explorer, February 20, 1907. 

 132 



