18 SEEDS AND PLANTS [MPOKTED. 



21834 to 21836. Andropogon sorghum (L.) Brot. 



Prom Maiduguri, Bornu, Sudan. Africa. Presented l>y Prof. .7. Hurtl Davy, 

 agrostologisl and botanist, Transvaal Depart men 1 of Agriculture, Pre- 

 toria, Transvaal. Received January liT. 1908. 



21834. Black-Hull. 21836. White Matakwa. 



21835. Bed Matakwa. 



21837. Bambos artjndinacea Retz. 



Prom Sibpur, Calcutta. India. Presented liy ('apt. A. T. Gage, superin- 

 tendent, Royal Botanic Garden, through Mr. W. W. Smith. Receiveq 

 January 28, 1908. 



(For description see No. 21317.) 



21838. Triticum aesttvum L. Wheat. 



Prom Vomero, Naples. Italy. Presented by In-. C. Sprenger. Receive! 

 .la unary 28, 1908. 



■■The kind >>t" grain which is used for the straw-plaiting industry of Italy is 

 Triticum aestivum var. crimrron, called commonly in Italian Grano Marzuolo. 

 ••There are two undervarieties known, the Santa Fiora and the Semone, 



which are cultivated oil 1 r. thin land. The seed is planted in the month of 



November and also in February, and sown very thickly. We pull it up when 

 the ear begins t<> be formed." (Angiolo Pucci.) 



"The straw used in the plaiting industry is that of a special kind of very 

 dwarf wheal : it is sown in November (in Italy). The straw is dried and after- 

 wards blanched with sulphur. This blanched straw is the material used in all 

 industries of this kind." (Sprenger.) 



21860. Canard m ltjzonicttm (Blume) Gray. Pili nut. 



Prom Manila, P. I. Presented by Mr. George A. Spooner, Pay Department] 

 r. s. Army. Chicago, 111. Received January 25, 1908. 



"This nut is largely used in the Philippine Islands and East Indies for food. 

 li is said thai the flavor is finer when the meat is blanched and salted, after 

 the manner in which salted almonds are prepared." (Ralph 1. Oould.) 



21861. DlMORPHOTHECA SPECTABILIS Sell lcclitoP. 



Prom Barberton, Transvaal. Presented by Mr. George Thorncroft. Re- 

 ceived January 18, 1908. 



" Habitat : Grows <ni stony hills, altitude 6.000 feet. Flowers in September, 

 with the lirst shower of rain. (We get no rain here from the end of March 

 until August i It is the handsomesl of all our daisies." (Thorncroft.) 



"The plant grows •".«• t<> 4~> centimeters high and has bright purple rays about 

 2.5 centimeters long and a purple disk." (Schlechter.) 



21862 and 21863. Spergula arvensis L. Spurry. 



From Paris. France. Purchased from Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co. Received 

 January 30, 190S. 



21862. Corn or Common. 21863. Giant. 



21864. Dioscorea decaisneana Can*. Yam. 



From Paris, France. Purchased from Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co. Received 

 January 30. 190S. 



21865. Coleus amboinicus Lour. 



From Toco, Trinidad. Collected by Mr. O. W, Barrett in October, 1907, 



