78 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPOKTED. 



18325. Peltandra sagittaefolia. Wampee. 



From Cat Island, South Carolina. Keceived through Mr. John Tull, April 9, 

 1906. 



' ' The roots are extensively eaten by the colored natives. ' ' ( Tull. ) 



18326. Andropogon sorghum. Sorghum. 



From Bombay Presidency, India. Presented by Prof. G. A. Gammie, economic 

 botanist, Ganeshkhind Botanical Gardens, Kirkee, Poona, India. Received 

 April 9, 1906. 



"Seed of a dwarf variety of sorghum cultivated in the Punch Mahals District of 

 the Bombay Presidency. It is locally known by the name of Edtculia and grows to 

 the height of 2? to 3 J feet." ( Gammie. ) 



18327. Poa trivialis. Rough-stalked meadow grass. 



From Paris, France. Received through Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co., April 7, 

 1906. 



18328. Cucurbita melanosperma. Ecuador melon. 



From Quito, Ecuador. Presented by Mr. S. Ordonez M. Received April 9, 

 1906. 



"This plant is native to this country, where it is cultivated quite extensively and 

 used for food for man as well as for stock. Although a perennial, it is more com- 

 monly treated as an annual and planted with corn. It is also planted along walls 

 and at the foot of trees, upon which it will climb and produce melons continuously. 

 The plant will not endure severe frost, and grows where the temperature ranges from 

 14° to 25° C. 



"When used as human food the melon, as long as it is so soft that a finger nail can 

 be driven into the shell, is simply cooked and made into different dishes with butter 

 and salt; when ripe it is eaten cooked, with milk added at the table. For stock it 

 is used ripe and simply cut to pieces; when cooked, however^ it is far better, espe- 

 cially for stock and milch cows. 



"The melons average 20 to 30 pounds each. The pulp is white and contains sugar 

 and some starch. When completely ripe the shell is very hard and the seeds black, 

 giving the melons much the appearance of a watermelon. The ripe melons can 

 easily be kept a year in a dry and ventilated place, this condition making them 

 valuable for winter feed. There are two varieties — the white-shelled and the green 

 and white striped. These seeds are of the latter variety. " (S. Ordonez M.) 



18329 to 18331. 



From Manila, P. I. Presented by Mr. William S. Lyon, horticulturist, Bureau 

 of Agriculture. Received April 3, 1906. 



18329. Canavalia ensiformis. Knife bean. 



" ' Marautong ' of the Pampangans. The young and tender pods make an 

 excellent snap bean, and the green as well as the fully ripe seeds area good 

 substitute for Lima or Haricot beans. This variety, while prostrate and ram- 

 bling, is distinctively nontwining. It makes pods in two months and matures 

 seeds in four months from planting." (Lyon. ) 



18330. Crotalaria juncea. Sunn hemp. 



"This requires rich soil, abundant moisture, and close planting to produce 

 long fiber. If planted wide and kept pinched it becomes very floriferous and 

 an ornamental acquisition to the garden." (Lyon. ) 



18331. Pachyrhizus angulatus. Yam bean. 



18332. Beta vulgaris. Sugar beet. 



From Raunitz, near Wettin, Germany. Received from Mr. G. Wesche, through 

 Mr. E. Nettwall, of Prague, Bohemia, April 11, 1906. 



Wesche' s Ertragreichste, or Richest in Yield. 



100 



