16 SEEDS AND PL AXIS IMPORTED. 



23897— Continued. 



"A beautiful Chilean tree, persistent leave?, produces a small pink fruit of the 

 size of a small olive; natives eat the fruit after boiling it. Very ornamental when 

 fruits are ripe. Requires wet soil, can stand frost, grows best in valley protected 

 from wind, in forests." i Fingt 



23899. Uvaria rufa (Dun.) Blume. 



From Pampanga, Philippine Islands. Presented by Mr. William S. Lyon, Gar- 

 dena of Nagtajan, Manila, P. I. Received October 20, 1908. 

 "Small evergreen fruit tree,from Bea level up to 2,006 feet, lat. 10*° S.to 16° N. 

 Fruits oblong 5 cm. X 3 cm.) in grape-like (lusters, 10 to 30 berries. These are 

 edible and fairly palatable. Intense vermilion red, making tree in fruit very attrac- 

 tive." (Lyon.) 



23900. Actinidia irguta (S. & Z.) Planch. (?) 

 From Marblehead, Mass. Received October 21, inns. 



•■ From a 20-year-old vine on the place of Mr. ( harles X. Parker, Marblehead, Mass. 

 This vine has borne fruit regularly Bince it was 8 to 9 years old, and I saw fruit on it. 

 There can be no doubt, therefore, thai it is tin- female variety and a good bearer. The 

 fruit is of delicate flavor." i Fairchild.) 



23901. (l.t ROP1 \ PELTATA L. 



From Kingston, Jamaica. Presented by Mr. W. Harris, superintendent, Public 

 Garden-. Department of Agriculture, through Mr. P. J. Wester, Subtropical 

 Garden, Miami. Fla. Received October 23, L908. 

 "A variety of the urticaceous quick-growing Cecropias with edible, not very well- 

 flavored fruits; available as a shade tree, abundant in the warmer valleys and rain- 

 Eorests of Mexico. Introduced for testing at the Subtropical Garden, Miami, Fla." 



23902. Medicago sativa L. Alfalfa. 

 From Peru. Presented by Mr. T. F. Sedgwick, Lima, Peru, for Mr. C. V. Piper. 



Received October 6, 1908. 

 San Pedro. 



23913. Pintjs dexsiflora Sieb. & Zucc. Pine. 



From near Tungling, Chihli, China. Received through Mr. Frank N. Meyer, 

 agricultural explorer, summer of 1908. 

 "(No. 1172a, Nov. 29-08.) This pine grows all over northern China and seems to 

 vary a great deal." (Meyer.) 



23914. Nicotiana tomentosa Ruiz. & Pav. 



From Erfurt, Germany. Purchased from Messrs. Haage & Schmidt, at the re- 

 quest of Mr. A. D. Shamel. Received October 26, 1908. 

 4i I know very little about this species, but it was purchased at Mr. George W. Oliver's 

 suggestion in connection with our work in hybridizing tobacco. It is a very large 

 species, with large leaves and tall stem. At present it is mainly of scientific interest, 

 but on account of its leaf size would probably be valuable as a parent for a composite 

 cross in regions where the yield of tobacco is the main consideration. ' ' (J.B. Norton.) 

 153 



