OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1922 3 



(Amygdalus persica; No. 55929) 3-J to 4 inches in diameter, which 

 he found growing wild in the Likiang Valley, and other trees 40 to 

 50 feet tall with fruits tasting like cherries (Nos. 55885 and 55888). 



Among the numerous wild species of Prunus are plums with fruits 

 the size of walnuts (Prunus sp. ; No. 55824) , a lemon-yellow form 

 from regions subjected to extreme drought and intense heat from 

 October to June (No. 55901), and small-fruited forms, from 12,000 

 feet altitude on the slopes of Satseto in pure limestone soils, which 

 may prove of value for stocks. 



Mr. Rock has collected species of Rubus bearing delicious orange- 

 red berries from 12,000 to 13.000 feet altitude (Nos. 55891, 55892, 

 and 55904) and others from the shade of the spruce forest with 

 fruits orange-red and translucent and an inch in diameter (No. 

 55892), crimson-stemmed drooping-branched ornamental forms (No. 

 55893), and still others which are spineless (No. 56114). 



Mr. Rock has sent in a wild grape (Vitis sp. ; No. 55953) which 

 he found covering rosebushes there. It is a prolific bearer and its 

 dull-purple berries are very sweet, which is not usually the case with 

 wild species of Vitis. He has sent nuts from a wild walnut tree 50 

 feet tall and with a spread of branches of 100 feet (Juglans regia; 

 Xo. 55989) : a tree hazelnut (Corylus sp. : No. 55987) which grows 

 to be 60 to 80 feet tall and has handsome, very large leaves and 

 large edible nuts; various as yet unidentified species of persimmon 

 {Diospyros spp. ; Nos. 56132 to 56134) ; the rare Oatalpa duclouxii 

 (No. 55931) which makes a tree 70 to 80 feet tall and 4 feet in diam- 

 eter and produces hard durable timber suitable for building pur- 

 poses that may contribute to the development of a superior hybrid 

 catalpa for forest purposes. In the way of ornamental shrubs, 

 lilies, and other ornamental plants the region has already become 

 noted in England. Mr. Rock has sent seeds of a honeysuckle 

 (Lonicera sp. : No. 55897) ; the rare Osteomeles schwerinae (No. 

 55992) with its dull-purple fruits which are sweet and edible; gor- 

 geous primroses (Primula spp.) ; an edible-fruited viburnum (Vibur- 

 num sp. ; No. 55950) ; an ornamental currant (Ribes sp. ; No. 55890) ; 

 the wild peony (Paeonia delavayi; Nos. 55898, 55937, 55994) ; and a 

 striking new ornamental tree (Oornus sp. ; No. 55955). 



In addition to Mr. Rock's collections there have been received 

 from various correspondents throughout the world a wild plum 

 from Beirut (Primus ursina; No. 55872) for trial as a stock in 

 southern California; Goodman's Choice peach (Amygdalus persica; 

 No. 55831), a great success in Australia, which if it suc- 

 ceeds in America as it has there might easily add millions 

 to the California peach-canning industry; a new mango 

 (Mangifem indica; No. 55839) from Grerrit P. Wilder, of Honolulu, 

 which turns yellow while hard and keeps well for two weeks; 39 

 varieties of beardless spring wheat (Triticum aestivum; Nos. 55842 

 to 55870) originated by two noted plant breeders of New South 

 Wales, J. P. Shelton and J. T. Pridham, of Sydney. Some of these 

 varieties are said to produce better flour than the noted Hard 

 Federation wheat, which is also of Australian origin. 



Dr. P. J. S. Cramer, of the Java Department of Agriculture, 

 presents two interesting varieties of sugar cane (Saccharum of- 

 ficinarum; Nos. 55829 and 55830) from the Sugar Experiment Sta- 



