40 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED 



33646 Continued. 



■•("uniin is of the i)arsley family and has fennel-like leaves. It is a cultivated crop 

 in Malta, but I have seen it growing wild in Egypt and the hills of the Palestine 

 liinterland. 



"Altitude seems to affect the growth of the plant very little. In Malta it is grown a 

 few feet above the sea and within a stone's throw of it, and it also grows wild in the 

 highland valleys of Hindustan, 7,000 feet above the sea, and inland. 



"The Malta cumin plant grows about 1 foot or a little less in height. 



"Cumin is planted in Malta in January or February, and the crop is ready for the 

 harvest in June or July. Weather conditions (rain and temperature) make a few 

 weeks' difference occasionally in the times for planting and reaping. One crop a 

 year is raised, and it must be'planted each year. No attempt is made at cultivation 

 while the crop is growing. 



"WTien ready to be harvested the whole plant is pulled up by the roots by hand. 

 Tlii< is easy, as the roots are readily broken and the soil is very porous and light. After 

 pulling the plants from the ground they are beaten against a board or bar to knock the 

 seeds loose. 



"Seeds are winnowed by hamd to clean them of chaff and dirt. They are then stored 

 in sacks or simply piled in a dry place on a floor. 



' ' The aromatic odor in one of these storehouses is so strong that it is almost impossi- 

 ble to enter when the door is first opened. 



"Cumin seed will keep more than a year, but buyers always prefer the new crop 

 because the fresh seeds are more aromatic. 



"In the trade here the middleman system prevails. A contract is made by the 

 farmer that the seeds are 97 per cent pure; that is, that they contain not more than 

 3 per cent of foreign matter. 



"The commission merchant pays about $9 per 175 pounds." (Laing.) 



33647. CiCER ARiETiNUM L. Chick-pea. 



From Guadalajara, Mexico. Presented by Mr. Samuel E. Magill, American 

 con.sul. Received April 27, 1912. 

 ''Garhanzo prieto or chico. This is used only as food for animals. It is soaked for 

 about 24 hours and softened for cattle, while hogs eat it whole." (Magill.) 

 See No. 31308 for notes regarding the growing of this crop. 



33648 to 33654. 



Seeds collected by Dr. B. T. Galloway, Chief, Bureau of Plant Industry'-, of this 

 Department. 2 Numbered May 10, 1912. Quoted notes by Dr. Galloway: 



33648. Cleome sp. 

 From Soekaboemi, Java. 



"An herbaceous plant. Beautiful pink, geraniumlike flowers." 



33649. Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Brown. 

 From Soekaboemi, Java. 



"A good agricultural grass." 



Distribution. — Throughout India, ascending to an elevation of 5,000 feet in 

 the Himalayas, and generally distributed in warm countries. 



33650. PiNUS sp. Pine. 



33651. Allamanda sp. 



From Selabatoe, Soekaboemi, Java. 



"A large yellow-flowered shrub, resembling evening primrose." 



