46 



SEEDS AXD PLANTS IMPOETED. 



36060. Meibomia hirta (Guill. and Per.) Kuntze. 



(Desviodium hirtum Guill. and Per.) 



From Kyimbila, German East Africa. Presented by Mr. Ad. Stolz. Received 

 August 14, 1913. 



"This plant has the great recommendation that one can take rooted cuttings of the 

 plant, so that for propagation one does not need the long wait for seed, and with large 

 1 to 1| meter cuttings one comes much more quickly to the desired end than with 

 small seedlings. Crop plants, such as coffee, tea, rubber, lianas, cedars, etc., have 

 taken a significant fresh appearance after having D. Mrtum planted between them. 

 This shows itself especially on this year's fresh powerful shoots of the plants; hence, 

 the fertilizing value of this legume must be significant. It fertilizes not only other 

 plants.' but itself, for where after a space of 12 months a spindling plant wanders 

 through the soil, it rises itself in the following year to an entirely different luxurious 

 plant. On poor soils the shoots lie fiat on the ground, reaching a height of 2 to 5 

 centimeters. On the ether hand, on good soil the shoots in the first year attain a height 

 of 30 centimeters. I have observed it at elevations of 500 to 1,600 meters above sea 

 level. D. hirtum is also not to be underrated as forage, for asses and sheep eagerly eat 

 the shoots. It is indeed a typical meadow plant, with scanty growth and runner 

 formation between the liigh-gi'ass haulms. Here I found it with other legumes, of which 

 our meadows produce enough. I made a test of all the species, of which D. hirtum 

 turned out to be the best, for on loosened soil the plant could show its possibilities. 



Cultivation. — ^The seed should be sown broadcast in a well-prepared seed bed, which 

 must, above all, be kept moist, in order that the seed shall not dry out and that the 

 young plants shall grow more quickly; since where the plants stand too closely to- 

 gether it is necessary to thin them to 10 centimeters, it is well, as soon as the runners 

 reach a length of 10 to 20 centimeters, to plant the young plants in groups one- 

 half by 1 meter or 1 by 1 meter in well-loosened soil. The looser and better the soil is 

 so much the quicker D. hirtum develops, and puts forth shoots during the year from 1 

 to 1^ meters long, which quickly root in loose soil and furnish cuttings for transplanting. 

 In growing from seed it is worth' while, above all, to grow quickly good strong runners, 

 which as soon as they have rooted should be planted in the rainy season, and easily 

 increase. In order to further the growth, the land must above all be kept clean of 

 weeds. Later the long shoots hinder the growth of weeds. After seed production 

 the plant dies down almost two-thirds; from the rootstock and the still living shoots 

 spring forth runners, which grow over the dead parts and reach a height of from 2 to 

 30 centimeters. ■' (Stoh.) 



36061. Laxsium domesticum Jack. Duku. 

 From Buitenzorg, Java. Presented by the director. Department of Agriculture. 



Received August 14, 1913. 

 See S. P. I. No. 35906 for previous introduction. 



36062. Leucadendeon eepens L. Sugar bush. 



(Protea mellifera Thunb.) 

 From South Rhodesia, Africa. Received from Mr. G. P. Rixford, of the Bureau 

 of Plant Industry, who secured them from Mr. George T. Ruddock, San Fran- 

 cisco, Cal. Received August 11, 1913 

 " Veldt plant. A shrub of from 4 to 6 feet high. Before opening, the bud resembles 

 a globe artichoke. Flowers white; beautiful for parks." (Rixford.) 



" A glabrous shrub or small tree, having narrowly lanceolate and rather blunt leaves, 



3 to 5 inches long, one-third inch wide above, tapering gradually to the base. Head 



4 inches long, cup shaped, 3 inches wide, red and pretty; the inner bracts rather longer 



