﻿44 SEEDS AXD PLANTS IMPORTED. 



45179 and 45180— Continued. 



colored inside ; and these are probably the origin of the large and fine 

 durians, which are never found wild. It would not, perhaps, be correct 

 to say that the durian is the best of all fruits, because it can not supply 

 the place of the subacid, juicy kinds, such as the orange, grape, mango, 

 and mangosteen, whose refreshing and cooling qualities are so whole- 

 some and grateful ; but as producing a food of the most exquisite flavor 

 it is unsurpassed. If I had to fix on two only, as representing the per- 

 fection of the two classes, I should certainly choose the durian and the 

 orange as the king and queen of fruits." (.4. R. Wallace, The Malay 

 Archipelago, p. 57.) 



45180. Garcinia maxgostana L. ClusiaeeaB. Mangosteen. 



A moderate-sized conical tree, with large leathery leaves, indigenous 

 to Malaya. Its globular purplish brown fruit, about the size of an 

 apple, is famed as one of the most delicious fruits of the Tropics. 'The 

 delicate white juicy pulp surrounding and adhering to the seed is the 

 part eaten. In striking contrast to it is the dense, thick, reddish rind, 

 containing tannic acid and a dye. The tree is of very slow growth and 

 does not usually come into bearing until about 9 or 10 years old. The 

 essential conditions for it are a hot, moist climate and deep, rich, well- 

 drained soil. Propagation is usually by seed, but may also be effected 

 by "gootee" or layering. (Adapted from MacmiUan, Handbook of 

 Tropical Gardening and Planting, p. 164-) 



45181. Annona cherimola X squamosa. Annonacere. Anona. 



Grown at the Plant Introduction Field Station, Miami. Fla., from garden 

 No. 1803, tree C. Numbered September 25, 1917. 



A hybrid between the cherimoya and the sugar-apple, produced by Mr. Edward 

 Simmonds, of the Miami Field Station. It combines the unusual sweetness of 

 the sugar- apple with the firmness and better shipping quality of the cherimoya. 

 The trees show unusual vigor, having withstood the freeze of February. 1917. 

 without being much damaged. 



For an illustration of this anona, see Plate IV. 



45182 to 45189. 



From China. Seeds collected by Mr. Frank N. Meyer, Agricultural Explorer 

 of the Bureau of Plant Industry. Received September 18, 1917. Quoted 

 notes by Mr. Meyer. 

 45182 and 45183. Amaranthus gangetictjs L. Amaranthaceo 1 . 



Amaranth. 

 45182. "(No. 2385a. Hankow, China. March 9. 1917.) A green- 

 leaved amaranth, much cultivated in central China, as a garden 

 vegetable and eaten, when young, like spinach. The plant stands any 

 amount of moist heat and can be sown at intervals throughout the 

 summer. As the seedlings suffer a good deal at times from 

 damping-off, the Chinese generally have the beds raised slightly 

 above the surrounding land and then cover the surface with a 

 sifted mixture of soot, ashes, and lime, which acts as a fertilizer 

 as well as a fungicide. Chinese name Pai lian is'ati, meaning white 

 amaranth vegetable. This Han ts'ai probably can be made a popu- 

 lar hot- weather vegetable throughout the southern sect 5 on s of the 

 United States." 



