OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1912. 



39 



34617. Asparagus filicinus Hamilton. Asparagus. 

 From India. Presented by Mr. Norman Gill, superintendent, Kumaun Govern- 

 ment Gardens, Jeolikote, United Provinces. Received November 20, 1912. 



See S. P. I. No. 34473 for previous introduction. 

 Roots. 



34618. Medicago sativa glutinosa (Bieb.) Urban. Alfalfa. 



From Dublin, Ireland. Presented by Sir F. W. Moore, Royal Botanic Garden. 

 Received November 19, 1912. 

 "During the summer of 1911 a plant of Medicago glutinosa was noticed by me in the 

 collection of alfalfas in the Royal Botanic Garden, Dublin. The plant seemed to be 

 the true M. glutinosa, as evidenced by the yellow color of the flowers; also by the pods, 

 which had from 1 to IJ turns; glandular hairs were also present. Seeds of this plant 

 were secured, but all of the seedUngs raised at Washington produced purplish 

 flowers and pods having from 2 to 3 tiu"ns, probably brought about by the cross-polli- 

 nation through insects. This is all the more likely, as there were numerous piu^le- 

 flowered forms of Medicago sativa growing in the immediate \icinity of the glutinosa 

 plants." {G. W. Oliver.) 



34619. Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertner. E[apok. 



{Eriodendron anfractuosum DC.) 

 From Sandakan, British North Borneo. Presented by jVIr. Orlando H. Baker, 

 American consul. Received September 24, 1912. Numbered November 21, 

 1912. 



"The kapok tree, native in the American Tropics, is widely distributed in the 

 Tropics of both hemispheres. It attains a height of 75 to 100 feet with wide-spreading 

 horizontal branches, making an attractive ornamental or shade tree . It is often planted 

 along the borders of fields for fence posts. It begins to bear seed pods with kapok down 

 when about 5 years old, and the yield of pods increases with the age of the tree. Well- 

 developed trees under favorable conditions yield about 7,000 pounds per acre. Kapok 

 can not be spun, but it is an excellent material for stuflang pillows, mattresses, life 

 preservers, etc., and its use is rapidly increasing. (L. H. Dewey.) 



34620 and 34621. 



From Nice, Alpes Maritimes, France. Presented by Dr. A. Robertson Proschow- 

 sky, Chemin des Grottes, St. Helene. Received November 20, 1912. 

 Quoted notes by Dr. Proschowsky: 



34620. Asparagus acutifolius L. Asparagus. 

 ' ' This plant is abundant here in a wild state, and the young shoots are gathered 



and form quite a regular article of commerce in the market. The shoots are 

 much thinner than those of A. officinalis L. (in its cultivated form), but are 

 very delicate of taste. The plant grows in the very worst places as concerns 

 absence of soil (in fissiures of rocks, high on slopes of gravel, etc.), as well in 

 the full burning sun as in deep shade, and it seems to me that so drought tesisting 

 a plant would be worth ameliorating. So I send you seeds for trial in desert 

 countries." 



34621. Maytenus boaria MoUna. Maiten. 

 "A very graceful evergreen tree, exceedingly drought resisting, the foliage 



of which is much appreciated in Chile, its native country, as cattle fodder." 



