JULY 1 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1922. 7 



55585. Oxalis tuberosa Molina. Oxalidacese. Oca. 



From Tucuman, Argentina. Tubers presented by E. F. Schultz, horticul- 

 turist. Agricultural Experiment Station. Received July 31, 1922. 



"A plant related to our common sheep sorrel, widely cultivated in Peru and 

 Bolivia for the sake of its fleshy rootstocks, which are an important article 

 of food. In some districts ocas are second only to potatoes, while in others 

 ullucus (Ullucus tuoerosus Caldas) are more important, or at least are sold 

 more generally in the native markets. Ocas are eaten raw, as well as cooked, 

 and are also frozen and dried. Ocas prepared in this last-mentioned way are 

 called caya, a term corresponding to chuno, the name of the dried potatoes. 

 Raw ocas, when first dug, have a distinctly acid taste, like sheep sorrel, but 

 this is lost after the tubers have been exposed to the sun. 



" The plant attains a height of 1 foot or more and has the general appearance 

 of a large plant of sheep sorrel. The flowers are yellow, and the leaflets are 

 folded at night or in wet weather, the same as the sheep sorrel. 



" The varieties are numerous, though much fewer than in the case of the 

 potato. Some are preferred for eating raw and others for the making of caya. 

 The texture of the tubers is very tender and juicy. In form some are nearly 

 cylindrical, while others are slender at the base and strongly thickened at the 

 end. The colors vary from white or light pink through darker pinks or yellows 

 to deep purplish red. The range of colors is much the same as in the ullucu, 

 but no deep-yellow varieties were seen, nor any with spots, except that some 

 have bands of deeper color across the eyes. 



" In addition to the pleasing coloration, the surface of the tubers is smooth 

 and clear, so that the general appearance is very attractive. The texture of 

 the flesh is also very tender and crisp. If the taste should prove acceptable, 

 ocas might become very popular for salads and pickles, if not for other pur- 

 poses. The nature and habits of the plant indicate that it may be adapted to 

 acid soils, which would be a distinct advantage in some parts of the United 

 States." (0. F. Cook.) 



For previous introductions, see S. P. I. Nos, 41168 to 41176. 



55586. Medicago sativa L. Fabaceae. Alfalfa. 



From Buenos Aires, Argentina. Seeds presented by D. S. Bullock, agri- 

 cultural commissioner, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, United States 

 Department of Agriculture. Received July 28, 1922. 



Introduced for comparison and cultural experiments. 



55587. Pruxus serrulata Lindl. Amygdalacese. 



Japanese flowering 1 cherry. 



From Yokohama, Japan. Seeds purchased from the Yokohama Nursery 

 Co. Received July 24, 1922. 



Forma lannesiana. A variety of Japanese cherry known as Mazakura 

 (synonym, Dai Sakura), used in Japan as a stock. Prof. Yugo Hoshino, of 

 the Tohoku Imperial University at Sapporo, is quoted as follows in Hedrick's 

 " Cherries of New York," p. 75: " In the northern part of Japan proper (main 

 island) it is a common practice to graft European cherries on a special kind 

 of Japanese cherry. This cherry has a peculiar character which fits it for 

 propagation, namely, it roots very easily either from cuttings or by mound 

 layering. It is grown by nurserymen only and is called Dai Sakura. It has 

 a somewhat dwarfing influence on scions and hastens their fruiting age." 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 38206. 



55588. Microcitrtjs atjstralasica (F. Muell.) Swingle. Eutacese. 



(Citrus australasica F. Muell.) Finger lime. 



From Dundas, New South Wales. Seeds presented by Herbert J. Rumsey. 

 Received July 13, 1922. 



" The finger lime is one of the most curious and interesting of the citrus 

 fruits. The young plants have more or less horizontally arranged branchlets, 

 with very short internodes and small oval young leaves, these much shorter 

 than the stiff, erect spines. The flowers are small, and the fruits are long 



