JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1923 3 



Acer sterculiaceum (No. 56399), a rare species of maple growing 80 feet high in 

 the Himalayas at an altitude of 9,000 feet, has been sent by G. H. Cave, of 

 Darjiling, India, as has also the handsome Himalayan birch (Betula utilis, No. 

 56400) , which is still a rare tree in Great Britain. 



C. A. Reed, nut expert of the Department of Agriculture, during his mission 

 to China to study the walnut industry secured among other things a collection 

 of walnuts (Juglans regia, Nos. 56409 to 56425) from the northern limit of the 

 culture of this species in China which ought to prove decidedly valuable for 

 American growers of this nut. 



Cudrania javanensis (No. 56787), a thorny shrub which was introduced in 1915 

 from Taiwan and has grown unusually well on the rocky soils of southern Florida, 

 is again introduced from New South Wales. Its value as a fruiting shrub or, as; 

 suggested, for hedge purposes deserves to be studied. It is related to the Chinese 

 species, Cudrania tricuspidata, and to the Osage orange, Toxylon pomiferum, and 

 as crosses between the two genera have been successfully made plant breeders 

 may do something worth while with them. 



Hydnocarpus alpina (No. 56445), a relative of one of the chaulmoogra-oil-pro- 

 ducing trees of Burma, H. ivightiana, and H. anthelminthica, from the Nilghiri 

 Hills of southern India, were sent in by Edmond Versin, of St. Jean le Blanc, 

 France. 



Four rare species of maple (Acer spp., Nos. 56453 to 56456), from Darjiling, 

 which may thrive in the State of Washington and add their beauty to the parks 

 there, have come from G. H. Cave. 



Through Dr. H. L. Shantz seeds have come from Capt. Charles M. F. Swyn- 

 nerton, of Kilossa, Tanganyika Territory, East Africa, of the Johnston clover, 

 Trifolium johnstoni (No. 56458). In the high altitudes of East Africa this is 

 one of the prominent forage plants. 



Dr. Carl Hartley sent in on request seeds of the large edible chestnut of western 

 Java, Castanopsis argentea (No. 56461), which, because of its excellent quality, is 

 worthy of the consideration of tropical horticulturists. The possibilities of a 

 tropical chestnut for the northern markets, we believe, have not yet been con- 

 sidered. 



In 1911 Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, of Johannesburg, Transvaal, sent the seeds of 

 Asparagus africanus, with his opinion that it is better in flavor than any of the 

 cultivated varieties. In view of the possibility of this species being adapted to 

 certain conditions in America for which our ordinary varieties of A. officinalis 

 are not suitable, we are glad to get an additional lot of seeds (No. 56483) through 

 Mr. Gossweiler, of Loanda, Angola. 



In 1919 Mr. Gossweiler sent seeds of a remarkable vegetable, Rumex abyssinicus, 

 which made an unusual growth in American gardens, often attaining 7 feet in 

 height, and because of its entire freedom from fiber and its delicate texture it has 

 recommended itself for general use in the Southern States as a new source of 

 summer "greens," a class of vegetable much desired by residents there. Mr. 

 Gossweiler has sent another lot of seed (No; 56486) for further experimentation. 



Tecoma garrocha (No. 56535), a native of Argentina, may supplant with it& 

 slender raceme of bright-yellow and scarlet flowers the well-known T. stans so 

 commonly grown in Florida. Doctor Proschowsky has sent seeds from Nice, 

 France. 



From Hobart, Tasmania, the Secretary of Agriculture has sent a collection of 

 seeds which includes three handsome acacias (Acacia spp., Nos. 56559 to 56561) T 

 a species of Casuarina new to Florida (C. suberosa, No. 56564), the Wallaby 

 grass (Danthonia semiannularis, No. 56566), a perennial tufted fodder grass 

 (Stipa pubescens, No. 56569), and Eucalyptus regnans (No. 56567), the tallest of 

 the genus, even reaching, according to earlier records, 400 feet in height; in other 

 words, one of the tallest trees of which there is any record. 



Twelve selected varieties of sugarcane (Saccharum offi cinarum , Nos. 56617 to 

 56628) representing a long series of selections and plant-breeding experiments to 

 produce plants resistant to the mosaic disease have been received from Robert 

 M. Grey. Field tests will show whether these are highly resistant under other 

 conditions than those about Cienfuegos, Cuba, where Mr. Grey carried on his 

 breeding experiments. 



A collection of mango varieties (Mangifera indica, Nos. 56648 to 56659) from 

 Rio de Janeiro, presented by Dr. P. H. Rolfs, of Vicosa, Minas Geraes, although 

 inferior in size and color to the East Indian mangos, may be valuable for southern 

 Florida, where the anthracnose is so prevalent, on account of their resistance to 

 that disease. 



Aleurites montana (No. 56676), the mu-oil tree of southern China, bears nuts 

 hat yield the southern tung oil of commerce, which appears to be indistinguish- 



