﻿20 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



46694. Prunus mume Sieb. and Zucc. Amygdalacese. 



Japanese apricot. 



From Yokohama, Japan. Purchased from the Yokohama Nursery Co. Re- 

 ceived October 19, 1918. 



" The flesh of the fruits dissolved in tea is used for washing inflamed eye- 

 lids or when eyes get gummy ; the acidity kills microbacteria." (Iida.) 



"Although every American artist who visits Japan in the early spring comes 

 away with the keenest appreciation of the remarkable beauty and picturesque 

 character of the so-called ' flowering plums ' of Japan, few of these artists ap- 

 pear to know anything about the fruit which is borne by these beautiful flower- 

 ing trees. These fruits, which are properly classed by botanists with the apri- 

 cots instead of with the plums, constitute a most unique food of the Japanese. 

 Though sometimes eaten fresh, much as we eat our native American plums, 

 they are usually pickled in brine and colored with leaves of the perilla plant 

 and packed in boxes or other receptacles for household use. Great quantities 

 of these pickled mumes are consumed in Japan. Their use is so common that 

 they formed an important part of the army ration in the Russo-Japanese war, 

 and it is said that they were often depended on to quench the thirst of the 

 soldiers when on long marches. One's first impression of these Japanese pickles 

 may be properly compared with one's first impression of the Spanish pickled 

 green olive, which has now become so popular. Eaten with meats, they furnish 

 an entirely new and appetizing flavor, one which, perhaps, is destined to become 

 popular in America, certainly one which deserves our investigation. The trees 

 are very hardy, and there are a great many varieties ; when in flower they are 

 very beautiful. Our horticulturists should study them." (David Fairchild.) 



For an illustration of the flowers of the " mume," see Plate I. 



46695. Baillonella toxisperma Pierre. Sapotaceae. Djave. 



From Africa. Presented by Dr. F. Heim, Paris, France. Received October 

 19, 1918. 



" Seeds from the Kongo, Africa ; they are introduced into Europe for the 

 first time." (Heim.) 



A tree often 150 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 6 feet, and without 

 branches for 75 to 90 feet. The wood is red, very compact, but easily worked. 

 It is exported to Europe, where it is used for making railway coaches. The 

 deeply ridged bark when wounded yields a glutinous white latex. The fruits 

 are globular, about 3 inches in diameter, and contain one to three seeds from 

 which the natives extract a fat. (Adapted from Chevalier, Les Vegetaux Utiles 

 de VAfrique Tropicale Frangaise, vol. 9, p. 242.) 



46696. Jacaratia mexicana A. DC. Papayacese. Bonete. 



From Yucatan. Presented by Dr. Mario Calvino, director, Estacion Experi- 

 mental Agronomica, Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba. Received October 22, 

 1918. 

 " Seeds of bonete from Yucatan. It produces edible fruits of a shape and taste 

 much like Carica papaya. The bonete plant lives longer than the papaya." 

 (Calvino.) 



" A remarkable tree belonging to the same family as Carica papaya, but grow- 

 ing to a much greater size. The fruit, which is commonly called ' bonete ' in 



