
          tint than that of ordinary lemons, is slightly less acid. As a house 
plant, it is of ornamental appearance, nearly ever-bearing in habit, 
and produces its excellent fruits abundantly.

58606. CLEMATIS TANGUTICA OBTUSIUSCULA. From Elstree, Herts, England. 
Presented by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs. A handsome, climbing shrub, native 
to central Asia, with sharply cut, compound leaves, and very large, 
solitary, nodding, white flowers which are borne on stems six inches 
long.

15395. COLOCASIA ESCULENTA. Trinidad Dasheen. From Trinidad, British 
West Indies. A variety of the taro which constitutes a valuable root 
crop for the South. The plant, related to the elephant-ear, which it 
resembles closely in general appearance, produces large corms and 
medium-sized tubers which are used like potatoes. When properly prepared 
and eaten hot, they have an attractive nutty flavor, suggesting roasted 
chestnuts. The corms and tubers, when cooked, are drier and more mealy 
than potatoes, and are found by chemical analysis to contain a greater 
percentage of protein and starch than does the potato. The young leaves 
make delicious greens, but when raw they are very acrid (like the Indian-
turnip) and must first be parboiled with baking soda to remove the 
acridity. A rich loamy soil and a growing season of 7 to 3 months are 
required to mature a crop of dasheens. Special directions for growing 
and cooking will be furnished on application.

29327. COLOCASIA ESCULENTA. Penang Taro. From South China. This is one 
of the finest flavored of all known taros. Although closely related to the 
dasheen, the Penang taro differs from it in producing elongated rather 
than oval corms, with none of the oval lateral tubers which in the dasheen 
are an important part of the crop. The tubers of the Penang are oddly 
shaped, and nearly all are very small. The white flesh of the corms and 
tubers is traversed by numerous, delicate, purple fibers; in cooking the 
coloring matter is dissolved and gives a pinkish hue to the flesh. While 
being baked, the Penang taro gives off a distinctive aroma of which one 
soon becomes exceedingly fond. This taro is even drier than the Trinidad 
dasheen; the corms and tubers are acrid when raw. This variety is not 
a good keeper, but its excellence as a table food has made it a favorite 
with nearly all who have eaten it. The culture is the same as that of 
the dasheen, but a slightly longer season is required for maturity.

47147. COLOCASIA sp. Taro. Of uncertain origin, probably from the 
Orient. This taro resembles the Trinidad dasheen in its habit of 
developing oval cormels, or lateral tubers, but differs materially from 
it in several important respects: (1) It is a better keeper; (2) the 
lateral tubers rarely send up leaf-shoots, which makes the harvesting 
and cleaning of the crop easier; (3) the corms and tubers are much more, 
moist and require a curing period of six or eight weeks after harvesting 
before they are entirely suitable for table use; (4) the flesh remains 
more nearly white when cooked; and (5) the flavor is even more mild than 
that of the Trinidad dasheen. In unsuitable soil the corms often lose 
the mealy-looking character. The culture is the same as for the dasheen. 
Because of the necessity for a curing period, this taro is to be considered 
mainly as one for late winter and spring use. Since it is less dry and 
firm than the Trinidad dasheen, and has less tendency to darken after

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