﻿26 SEEDS A2s T D PLANTS IMPORTED. 



Blnmenau, in Brazil, in 1892. This palm bore its first bunches of fruit four 

 years ago. The large cream-colored flower cluster is inclosed in a spathe 

 densely covered with a felty, brown, soft wool. The fruits have no odor. 

 They are the size of a very large cherry or small plum, are yellow, and are 

 covered with deep-brown spots. The fruit is the most delicious of all the hardy 

 Cocos and reminds one of the flavor of a very good, sweet plum. The palm 

 grows on high, dry pineland and is hardier than the orange." (Nehrling.) 



Cocos blumenavia Hort., is referred by Beccari, L'Agricoltura Coloniale, 

 vol. 10, p. 612, to his new genus Butia, as either Butia eriospatha or B. capitata. 



45046. Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim. Malaceae. Pear. 



From Charles City, Iowa. Cuttings presented by Mr. Charles G. Patten. 

 Received August 4, 1917. 

 The origin of these cuttings is given in the following account: In Grundy 

 Center, Iowa, there is a pear tree which endured the extremely cold winters 

 of 1883 to 1885. This tree, now owned by Mr. O. A. Bardhall, a tailor, was im- 

 ported from China as a sand pear by John S. Collins & Sons, of New Jersey, 

 and was supposed by them to bear fruit nearly the size of Flemish Beauty, 

 but only of cooking quality. The extreme hardiness of the tree appealed to 

 Mr. Charles G. Patten, of Charles City, Iowa, who planted one in his orchard, 

 and the following year planted two more. The second year after that the tree 

 bore fruit, but on account of its early blooming and consequent lack of polli- 

 nation bore only a scanty number of small, green-colored, hard pears. (Adapted 

 from Charles G. Patten, Report of the Iowa State Horticultural Society for 

 1912, p. 162.) 



45047. Melicocca bijtjga L. Sapindacese. 



From Caracas, Venezuela. Presented by Mr. Henry Pittier, Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. Received August 6, 1917. 

 " A small or middle-sized tree with thick foliage. The round or oval fruits 

 are about the size of a pigeon's egg and are borne in racemes hanging from 

 the ends of the branchlets. Each fruit has a single seed, with a layer of 

 sweet, jellylike pulp between the seed and the green pericarp. The roasted 

 seeds are said to be of fine flavor. The tree grows from sea level to 1,200 

 meters (3,900 feet) and should thrive in Florida." (Pittier.) 



45048. Dovtalis tristis (Sond.) Warb. Flacourtiacese. 



From Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa. Seeds presented by Mr. I. B. 



Pole Evans, chief, Division of Botany, Department of Agriculture, Union 



of South Africa. Received August 6, 1917. 



"A tree which occurs on the kopjes (low hills) around Pretoria and which 



bears an abundance of small fruits. These fruits make a delicious jelly." 



(Evans.) 



Usually an unarmed shrub or small tree, 10 to 15 feet high, with leathery, 

 obovate, glabrous leaves with shining upper surfaces. The inconspicuous 

 flowers appear in November, followed in January by the roundish, yellow, 

 pulpy fruits, which are about half an inch long. The fruits are highly flavored 

 and are eaten raw or made into jelly. (Adapted from Sim, Forests and Forest 

 Flora of Cape Colony, p. 130.) 



