﻿6 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



From the same source comes a forage grass (Phalaris coerulescens, 

 No. 46955) which may be worthy of naturalizing on the dry sheep 

 pastures of California, since the animals forage on the subterranean 

 bulbous parts of it, as Dr. Trabut writes, when all other vegetation 

 is dried up. 



The argan tree of Morocco (Argania spinosa, No. 46969), which 

 yields a valuable oil, is again introduced, but whether or not it can 

 stand the cold weather of southern California is the question. 

 Earlier attempts have failed. 



The Taiwania (No. 46980) is a Formosan conifer of great beauty, 

 which was obtained by Mr. E. H. Wilson personally from Formosa, 

 and every possible effort should be made to establish it in our South- 

 ern States. 



Mr. Popenoe describes Tigridia pavonia (No. 46981) as a fascinat- 

 ing garden vegetable. When in bloom it has attractive flowers vary- 

 ing from yellow to deep scarlet in color. Mrs. Nuttall, who has them 

 in her garden in the City of Mexico, finds that they multiply rapidly 

 and require no cultural attention. The tubers, called cacomite, sug- 

 gest chestnuts when cooked. 



From Bio de Janeiro the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Cardinell, 

 sends a collection of seeds of unusual forage and fiber plants (Nos. 

 46985-46999), collected in the States of Matto Grosso and Amazonas, 

 Brazil, by Dr. Geraldo Kuhlmann, of the Eondon Commission. It 

 will be strange if some valuable grasses for the Southern States do 

 not come from this collection. 



Mr. Wester sends in the spores of five tropical ferns (Nos. 47011- 

 47015). Since Mr. Hertrich, of Pasadena, and others have been so 

 successful in growing tree ferns from spores, the beautiful tree ferns 

 of the world ought to be introduced and established, as far as it is 

 possible, where they will add grace and beauty to the woodlands 

 and rockeries of southern California and Florida. 



Nos. 47017-47057 represent a remarkable collection of forage 

 grasses made by Sr. Andre Goeldi, State of Para, Brazil, some of 

 which might find a place on our Everglade lands, provided the soil 

 conditions are suitable. Word now comes of Sr. Goeldi's death, and 

 we record here sentiments of sincere regard. The world can ill afford 

 to lose these research men. 



To find attractive plants which will live down to the water line on 

 sand dunes is a problem of no mean importance, and Mr. J. Burtt 

 Davy's suggestion of M'musops caffra (No. 47099) from the African 

 coast for this purpose is worthy of emphasis. 



Since the search for corn is for varieties which have some particu- 

 larly valuable character that may be incorporated into our American 

 races of corn by breeding, the collection (Nos. 47109^7114) sent by 



