JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1909. 13 



34442 to 24447— Continued. 



24442 and 24443— Continued. 



24443. Jowar. Double variety. 



"White. A very small head, probably dwarfed by thick sowing and 

 adverse conditions; ovate, compact, two seeds in each spikelet; seeds 

 small, white; glumes pale; florets awned. Belongs to group 8 of India 

 sorghums represented by S. P. I. No. 14603, etc." (Carleton R. Ball.) 



"The Jowar furnishes an excellent fodder hi its stalks and the grain is 

 highly nutritious. At certain times of the year it furnishes the chief 

 grain for the food of India's millions in the Deccan." (Peacock.) 

 24444 to 24447. Pennisetum americanum (L.) Schum. Pearl millet. 



24444. Common Country Bazra. 



"There seem to be several widely different strains included in this 

 lot." (H. N. Vinall.) 



24445. Pure African Bazra. 



24446. Cross-breeding Common Country and African Bazra. 



24447. Bearded Bazra. 



"The presence of numerous bristles probably accoimts for the fact that 

 it is less troubled by attacks from birds." (H. N. Vinall.) 



' ' The Bazra is more of a food grain and is scarcely ever fed to animals on 

 account of its expense. Both these grains grow on the poorly cultivated 

 semiarid plains of the Deccan." (Peacock.) 



24448 and 24449. Phaseolus coccineus L. Scarlet runner bean. 



From Italy. Presented by Mr. Haven Metcalf , pathologist in charge, Laboratory 

 of Forest Pathology, Department of Agriculture. Received December 24, 

 1908. 



24448. "Obtained at the Tenute Consorti Sullam in Portotolle e Taglia Di Po, 

 in the province of Rovigo, Italy. These beans were called by the grower, Dr. 

 Angclo Sullam, ' Faggioli Elcfanti di Prussia.'' He has been growing them 

 for some years on his plantation, which is largely devoted to rice, and where I 

 saw these beans growing in rather sandy land, with a water table not more 

 than 6 or 8 inches under the surface. According to Doctor Sullam, this bean 

 grows readily on wet land, although it will not grow directly in water. It 

 twines or runs and flowers freely and continuously. I ate the beans cooked 

 in the form of salad and found them very palatable, with more the flavor of a 

 white bean than our ordinary Lima or colored beans. It occurs to me that 

 this may be valuable on wet land ; it is said not to grow well at all on dry land. 

 As I did not see any growing on dry land, I cannot bear witness to this. 

 Doctor Sullam originally obtained his seed from western Russia." (Metcalf.) 



24449. " Obtained near Ferrara. The beans were there being grown under 

 the name of ' Faggioli Elefanti da Istria.' So far as I could see these were 

 exactly the same bean as the first sample (S. P. I. No. 24448). The seed in 

 this case was said to have been obtained from Istria." (Metcalf.) 



24450. Belou marmelos (L.) W. F. Wight. Bael tree. 



From Lahore, Punjab, India. Presented by Mr. W. R. Mustoe, superintendent, 

 Archaeological Gardens. Received January 8, 1909. 

 "Seed of the large-fruited variety of Aegle marmelos (Belou marmelos), known to 

 Europeans as bael fruit. It has three vernacular names, i. e. , bill, bel, and bael. It is 

 162 







