﻿8 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



attention by the late Frank N. Meyer, appears to be a fruit highly 

 prized by the people who grow it. In size and flavor it rivals the 

 Chinese species, Crataegus pinnatifida, and the conserve made from 

 it is quite as delicious. 



With such materials as these Guatemalan and Chinese introduc- 

 tions to work with, it would seem possible to produce hybrids with 

 our hardy species of Crataegus that would prove valuable in our 

 Southern States. 



The injerto, or green sapote (Achradelpha viridis, Nos. 43439 

 and 43788), unlike its relative, the sapote, is an inhabitant of high 

 altitudes and therefore may be expected to thrive in Florida and 

 California, although in both places the true sapote has failed. It is 

 reported by Mr. Popenoe as having a better flavor than the sapote. 



Three selected hybrids between the Chinese and European pears, 

 produced by Dr. Van Fleet and because of their attractive shape, color, 

 texture, and flavor now considered by him worthy of a wide trial 

 throughout the country to determine their productiveness and their 

 resistance to pear blight, are here described (Nos. 43442 to 43444). 



Enter olobium timhouva (No. 43455), a characteristic tree of north- 

 ern Argentina, sent in by Mr. H. M. Curran, is reported as being 

 of such beauty that.it is used as an ornamental in Buenos Aires. It 

 is of very rapid growth and is an important timber tree. It is prob- 

 ably hardy enough to grow in California and Florida. 



The introduction of seeds of the Paraguayan tea, or mate (Nos. 

 43456 and 43598), and their eas3 T germination bring up again the 

 whole question of this important crop from which millions of 

 South Americans obtain a beverage corresponding to our tea and 

 coffee, since it contains the same alkaloid. As pointed out by Mr. 

 George F. Mitchell, mate differs from tea and coffee in that the theine 

 which it contains is more easily extracted by hot water, and in the 

 preparation of the drink much less tannin becomes dissolved in the 

 brew than is the case with either tea or coffee. Just why the British 

 Army and the Japanese Army should be tea-drinking armies, whereas 

 the American is essentially a coffee-consuming one, is a question 

 probably traceable to the vagaries of taste. 



Pinus merkvssii (No. 43462) , from Java, has the distinction of being 

 the only true pine known to be a native of the Southern Hemisphere, 

 the so-called Kauri pine of New Zealand being a species of Dammara. 

 It may thrive in California and Florida. 



Mangifera verticillata (No. 43479), from the Philippines, intro- 

 duced as of possible value as a stock for the mango, turns out to be a 

 violently poisonous species, producing water blisters like those caused 

 by the poison ivy or the tropical poison wood, Hippomane mancinella. 



Whether Bersed azorica (No. 43480), from St. Michaels, will be as 

 refractory as our Persea pubescens as a stock or whether crosses can 



