﻿JULY 1 TO OCTOBER 31, 1919. 5 



Mr. Alfred Bircher, of Matania el Saff, Egypt, sends in seeds of 

 Eugenia aquea (No. 48223), a myrtaceous tree which bears fruits the 

 size of loquats with an aromatic flavor. 



Mr. J. F. Rock, of Honolulu, during a hurried trip to Siam, sent 

 back seeds of the Hydno carpus anthebivinthica (Nos. 48227 and 

 48228), which yields one of the oils used in the treatment of leprosy. 



Mr. J. Burtt Davy has sent from Victoria Falls, Rhodesia, a re- 

 markable collection (Nos. 48230 to 48261) of seeds of the timber trees 

 and of the ornamental trees and shrubs of that region ; among them 

 are the Rhodesian mahogany, Rhodesian teak, mukwa, Zambezi 

 almond, and the gum-copal tree. It is hoped that some of these may 

 be valuable for the reforestation work being carried on by the 

 Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association on the mountain areas of the 

 Hawaiian Islands. 



It is strange that a potherb like Basella rubra (No. 48262) should 

 be in almost universal use in Bengal and practically unknown as 

 such in America, though it grows and forms an attractive screen 

 in our Southern States. Can there be different strains of it, or have 

 we failed to learn to like it or to prepare it properly ? 



It is to be hoped that the common bamboo of northern Bengal 

 (Dendro calamus hamiltonii), which grows to 80 feet in height and 

 furnishes edible shoots and valuable timber, will prove hardy enough 

 for our Southern States. Seeds of this (No. 48266) were sent us by 

 Col. A. T. Gage, of Darjiling, India, who at the same time sent seeds 

 of Dillenia pentagyna (No. 48267), the flower buds and fruits of 

 which are edible. Since Dillenia indica has fruited on Mr. George B. 

 Cellon's place at Miami, Fla., it is possible that this other member 

 of the genus will grow in that region. 



The tree which furnishes the easily worked wood for tea chests 

 and which grows at altitudes of 3,000 feet {Duabanga sonneratioides, 

 No. 48268) would probably be a valuable addition to the forest trees 

 of Porto Rico and Hawaii; and, since its seeds germinate readily, 

 it may prove adaptable for forest purposes. 



Maem chisia (No. 48272), which covers large areas of the Darjil- 

 ing Hills and according to Gamble affords ideal protection to planted 

 trees, may prove of use in the reforestation work in Hawaii. 



Subtropical species of Prunus may play a role in the stock prob- 

 lem of our Southern States, and Prunus cerasoides (No. 48276), a 

 large tree often cultivated in the Himalayas, is worthy of investiga- 

 tion. 



The yellow-fruited raspberry, which, according to Gamble, is one 

 of the best wild fruits of India, can not fail to interest the breeders 

 of the genus Rubus. Seeds of this Rubus (R. ellipticus, No. 48278) 

 were sent us by Col. Gage. 



