14 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED 



58379. Acacia scorpioides (L.) W. F. 

 Wight. (A. arabica Willd.) Mimo- 

 sacese. 



From Gizeh, Egypt. Seeds presented by the direc- 

 tor, horticultural section, Ministry of Agricul- 

 ture. Received November 28, 1923. 



A large proportion of the gum arabic of commerce 

 is furnished by this tree, which is native to northern 

 Africa and southwestern Asia. True gum arabic, 

 however, is said to come only from another species, 

 Acacia Senegal. The pods and bark of A. scorpi- 

 oides are used for tanning, and the leaves and young 

 pods are sometimes fed to cattle. The wood is 

 hard and durable and is used in India for making 

 tools. (Adapted from Holland, Useful Plants of 

 Nigeria, pi. II, p. S88.) 



For previous introduction see S. P. I. No. 48063. 



58380 and 58381. Phletjm pratense 

 L. Poaceae. Timothy. 



From Malaga, Spain. Seeds presented by Luis 

 Liro Ortiz, director, Agricultural Station, Tor- 

 rox, through Donald D. Shepard, American 

 consul. Received November 28, 1923. 



Local strains introduced for cultural and com- 

 parison tests. 



58380. From the Estacion de Ensayo de Semiilas, 

 Madrid. 



58381. From the grounds of the Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station, La Coruna. 



58382. Laxsium 

 Meliaceae. 



domesticum Jack. 

 Langsat. 



From Los Banos, Philippine Islands. Seeds pre- 

 sented by J. E. Higgins, professor of agronomy 

 and head of the department, College of Agricul- 

 ture, Received December 5, 1923. 



The langsat or lanzon is reckoned one of the best 

 fruits of the Malayan region. As far as can be ascer- 

 tained there is no reason why it should not do well 

 in the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and 

 on the continent of South America as far southward 

 as Ecuador and southern Brazil. 



The tree reaches 40 feet in height and has pinnate 

 leaves composed of five. to seven elliptic leaflets 

 each 4 to S inches long. The fruit varies in form 

 and character, but is generally oval or round, 1 to 2 

 inches in diameter, velvety and stra^ colored, with 

 a thick leathery skin inclosing five segments of 

 white, translucent, juicy aromatic flesh and one to 

 three large seeds. 



Two distinct kinds are known, one termed lang- 

 sat and the other duku, or doekoe. Choice seed- 

 ling forms occur in both and should be propagated 

 by some vegetative means. 



58383. AmygdaluspersicaL. [Prunus 

 persica Stokes.) Arnygdalacese. 



Peach. 



From Yihsien, Shantung, China. Seeds presented 

 bv K. M. Gordon, South Shantung Industrial 

 School. Revived December 28, 1923. 



The Chinese call this peach Chiuiao, or "autumn 

 peach." The fruit is small and very bitter, and 

 the variety is used as a stock on which to graft and 

 bud better varieties. (Gordon.) 



58384 and 58385. Casimiroa spp. 

 Rutaceje. 



From Duarte, Calif. Budwood presented by W. 

 A. Spinks. Received December 5, 1923. 



58384. Casimieoa sp. 



Coleman. This has been considered for a num- 

 ber of years the best-flavored sapote of this region. 

 The parent xree grows in the rear of the old Cole- 

 man residence in Monrovia, Calif. Some years ago 

 A. L. Smith, of Monrovia, propagated several 



58384 and 58385 — Continued. 



trees from the parent tree. He has a specimen 

 20 feet high which bears prolifically and regu- 

 larly. The fruit is attractive in shape, and the 

 tree has sapotes on it nearly all the year. 

 (Spinks.) 



58385. Casimieoa sp. 



Spinks. A seedling sapote growing on the 

 grounds of W. A. Spinks at Duarte. - A 



58386 to 58388. 

 L. Fabaceae. 



Phaseolus vulgaris 

 Common bean. 



From Georgetown, British Guiana. Seeds pre- 

 sented by R. D. Rands, United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. Received December 3, 1923. 



Introduced for pathologists studying bean 



58586. Madeira butter beans. 



58587. Madeira spot beans. 

 58388. Trinidad beans. 



58389. Eremochloa ophiuroides 

 (Munro) Hack. Poacea?. Grass. 



From Canton, China. Seeds presented by FroL 

 G. Weidman GroS, Canton Christian College. 

 Received November 26, 1923. 



This is the second most common lawn grass in 

 southern China and is recommended as the best 

 lawn grass for that region. Its usual height is 3 or 4 

 inches, the blades are smooth and soft, and the seed 

 stalks insignificant. The attractive deep-green 

 color is maintained during the winter in southern 

 China if the grass gets a good hold during the sum- 

 mer. Propagation is easily effected by means of 

 runners. (Adapted from Bulletin No. 25. Canton 

 Christian College.) 



For previous introduction see S. P. I. No. 48566. 



58390. Alstonia macrophylla Wall. 

 Apocynaceae. 



From Peradeniya, Ceylon. Seeds presented by H. 

 F. Macmillan, superintendent, botanic gardens. 

 Received December 21, 1923. 



A shrub or small tree, native to the East Indies 

 and the Philippines, introduced for testing by 

 rubber specialists. Most of the members of the 

 family to which this species belongs contain milky 

 latex. 



58391 and 58392. Larix spp. Pina- 

 cese. Larch. 



From Dorpat. Esthonia. Seeds presented by 

 Franz Boerner, botanic garden, University of 

 Dorpat. Received December 21, 1923. 



58391. Larix dahurica Turcz. 



A larch from Manchuria and southeastern Si- 

 beria, sometimes as much as 70 feet in height. 

 In many sections it is superior to the common 

 European larch as a park tree. In the spring the 

 young cones are very attractive because : 

 bright-pink color. 



56392. Larix sibieica Ledeb. 



A very tall larch, at times reaching a height of 

 120 feet, native to northeastern Russia and Si- 

 beria. It has a straight slender trunk and short, 

 rather ascending branches. It is closely related 

 to the common European larch. 



58393 to 58396. 



From Yunnan, China. Seeds collected by J. F. 

 Rock, National Geographic Society. Washington, 

 D. C. Received December 3, 1923. Notes by 

 Mr. Rock. 



