13 



55625. Persea americana Mill. Lauraceae. Avocado. 



(P. gratiussima Gaertn. f.) 



From Honolulu, Hawaii. Budwoocl presented by Gerrit P. Wilder. Re- 

 ceived August 16, 1922. 



Wilder. Grown by Gerrit P. Wilder at his residence in Honolulu, a seedling 

 from the Guatemalan variety McDonald growing at 1402 Punahou Street, 

 Honolulu. An account of the introduction of the McDonald from Guatemala 

 is given in Bulletin 25, p. 43, Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, as 

 follows : 



"About 20 years ago Admiral Beardsley. leaving Guatemala for Hawaii, car- 

 ried with him a number of avocados for consumption on the way. He saved 

 two seeds, wrapping them in cotton wool and packing them in ice. Arriving 

 in Honolulu, he gave one seed to Judge Wiedeman and the other to Mrs. E. 

 K. Wilder. The former was planted at 1402 Punahou Street, now occupied 

 by ' The McDonald,' and although both seeds grew, the ' McDonald ' is far 

 superior in quality and blooms earlier." 



A formal description of the fruit of the Wilder variety is as follows : 



Form nearly round ; size large, average weight about 1 pound ; stem thick, 

 tough; apex broadly rounded; surface light olive green; flesh yellow, shading 

 into light green near the skin and easily separated from the latter, oily, rich 

 and nutty in flavor ; season October to January in Honolulu. 



The tree is vigorous, inclined to grow upward rather than to branch out, 

 but can stand pruning. The variety is valuable as a late avocado. 



An analysis of the fruit (analysis 1747, University of California, 1915) is as- 

 follows: W eight (in ounces) — fruit, 25.70; seed, 6.42; skin, 2.54; edible por- 

 tion, 16.88. Analysis of edible portion (peiv cent) — protein, 1.31; fat, 15.87: 

 ash, 0.86; carbohydrates, 5.15. 



55626 to 55632. 



From the island of Hainan, China. Seeds presented by the Canton Chris- 

 tian College, through F. A. McClure. Received August 14, 1922. Quoted 

 notes by Mr. McClure. 



Collected by Mr. McClure in April and May, 1922. The Canton Christian 

 College introduction numbers are in parentheses. 



55626. Combretum sp. Combretacea?. 



"(No. 853.) An ornamental shrub about 6 feet high, growing on open 

 hillsides at an altitude of about 1,600 feet." 



55627. Diospyros sp. Diospyracese. Persimmon. 



"(No. 856.) A tree 40 to 50 feet high and 2 feet in diameter, grow- 

 ing near the Five Finger Mountains, at an altitude of 3.300 to 5,000 feet. 

 The fruits are eaten by the natives." 



55628. Ficus sp. Moracea?. Fig*. 



"(No. 847.) A small ornamental shrub up to 5 feet in height, collected 

 in sandy soil at an altitude of 100 to 165 feet. The bright-red figs are 

 edible." 



55629. Pandanus tectorius Parkins. Pandanacea?. 



" (No. 858.) This plant, which sometimes reaches a height of 10 or 

 12 feet if unmolested, is used extensively as a hedge plant in Hainan, 

 chiefly below an altitude of 1,000 feet. The spherical fruits, about 8 

 inches in diameter, are bright orange-yellow when ripe." 



55630. Rtjbtts sp. Rosacea?. 



"(No. 848.) An edible wild berry found in sandy soil at an altitude of 

 100 to 165 feet." 



55631. Rubus sp. Rosacea?. 



" (No. 849.) An edible wild berry found in clay loam on hillsides at 

 an altitude of about 3,300 feet." 



73114—24 3 



