SEPTEMBEE, 1900, TO DECEMBER, 1903. 237 



which these beans are taken measured 12J feet in length and had a stem 1 inch in 

 diameter at the base. It yielded about one-fifth of a gallon of beans, while ordinary 

 plants, I am assured by Mr. Obata, give from 50 to 60 seeds only. Its root system is 

 well developed, but whether unusual it is impossible to say, as it was dug before Mr. 

 Obata saw it. The history of this most remarkable sport is as follows: Mr. J. Miya- 

 zaki, a descendant of a Samurai and now a second-hand clothier in the village of 

 Okasaki, found in his small back yard a soy bean which neither he nor his wife had 

 planted purposely, but over which they quarreled, the wife wishing to pull it up 

 because it grew to such unusual proportions and spread over the whole yard. Mr. 

 Miyazaki, however, found in this abnormal plant something to interest him, and 

 when the local district fair was held in Mukada in October fie dug up the plant and 

 exhibited it there, but he unfortunately and thoughtlessly ate up most of the beans. 

 Mr. Obata, of the experiment station at Anjo, saw the plant at the fair, visited Mr. 

 Miyazaki's place, and rescued the remaining handful of seed. He got samples of the 

 soil where the plant grew and has sown about 20 seeds in this soil at the experiment 

 station. I have seen and photographed this remarkable sport and think it worthy 

 of the most careful attention." (Fairchild.) 



8901 and 8901a. Pyrus communis. Pear. 



From Chios Island, Turkey in Asia. Presented bv Mr. N. J. Pantelides, through 

 Mr. D. G. Fairchild. Keceived July 29, 1902. 



8901. 8901a. 



Chamogea. Kurania kirakia. 



8902. Citrus nobilis. Mandarin orange. 



From Fukui, Japan. Received through Messrs. Lathropand Fairchild (No. 959, 

 June 24, 1902), July 21, 1902. 



Unshu. " A large-fruited, thick, loose-skinned mandarin orange, which is gen- 

 erally quite seedless but sometimes has one or two seeds. In quality it is not quite 

 so sweet as the common but smaller Kishu Mikan, which is the common mandarin 

 orange of Japan. This seedless variety is known all over Japan, but these scions 

 come from the coldest region in which oranges are grown in Japan, where the tem- 

 perature sometimes goes down to —10° 0.— i. e., 14° above zero F. — and where for 

 fifty days or so a foot of snow lies on the ground. In this region, which is a very 

 restricted one, called Sano, near Fukui, ice forms on the rice fields to the thickness 

 of a quarter of an inch. However, the trees are covered by large bamboo mats during 

 December, January, and February, and even with this covering the minimum of last- 

 year, 14° above zero, did them material injury. This sort has gradually driven the 

 ordinary seed-bearing mandarin out of the market and is now, since ten years or more 

 ago, the most popular mandarin in Japan." (Fairchild. ) 



8903. Citrus decumana (?) Pomelo. (?) 



From Fukui, Japan. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 

 960, June 24, 1902), July 21, 1902. 



Natsu daidai. "Large summer orange. This fruit deserves the attention of all 

 pomelo growers, as it is a variety to be had on the Japanese market as late as the 

 end of June. I saw it as early as the close of April, so that the season is two months 

 at least. It is not as fine and juicy as our best pomelo, butis nevertheless at this season 

 eaten with relish by everyone, both European and Japanese. It is served with sugar, 

 as pomelos are served in America, and would pass among all but connoisseurs as a 

 tolerably good pomelo. Further than this, it ranks as one of the hardiest citrous 

 fruits in Japan. These scions came from a tree that was exposed last winter, with a 

 bamboo mat shelter, to a temperature of +14° F., and although it lost some of its 

 leaves it was not killed by the low temperature. A foot of snow covered the ground 

 about this plant for several weeks during the months of January and February." 

 ( Fairchild. ) ( See No. 8894. ) 



8904. Citrus nobilis. Mandarin orange. 



From Fukui, Japan. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 961, 

 June 24, 1902), July 21, 1902. 



Koji. "A small-fruited variety with seeds. It is noted for its hardiness, being 

 cultivated in a region where the thermometer drops to +14° F. and where the plants 



