JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1914. 



21 



36993. Aleurites fordii Hemsley. Tung tree. 



From Hongkong, China. Presented by Mr. George E. Anderson, consul 

 general. Received January 12, 1914. 

 "Wood-oil nuts from Yingtak, Kwangtung Province, China, which were 

 brought to this office by Mr. M. P. Roach, of this city." (Anderson.) 



36994 and 36995. 



From Saigon, Cochin China. Presented by Mr. P. Morange. Received 

 January 14, 1914. 



36994. Coix LACRYMA-joBi L. Job's-tears. 



"This is the only variety existing in Cochin China." (Morange.) 



36995. Feroniella oblata Swingle. 



" Spiny tree, 25 to 65 feet high, native to Cambodia and Cochin China ; 

 leaves odd-pinnate, three to four pairs ; leaflets covered with small whitish 

 hairs, especially when young, pellucid-punctate, oval or obovate, crenulate 

 when young, often emarginate, with a very short petiole; rachis pubes- 

 cent; flowers in many-flowered panicles, white, very fragrant, usually 

 five parted, with lanceolate pointed petals ; stamens four times the num- 

 ber of the petals, anthers large, oval, filaments joined together at the 

 base by the woolly pubescence of the appendices occurring on their inner 

 side ; flowers borne in clusters of 3 or 4, flattened spheroid. This species 

 occurs commonly in the forests of Cambodia and is sometimes cultivated 

 by the natives for its flowers which, when young, have a pronounced 

 orange odor and are used as a condiment in sauces." (W. T. Stcingle. 

 In Bailey, Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, vol. 3, p. 1219, 1915.) 



36996. Zea MAYS L. Corn. 

 From Pago Pago, American Samoa. Presented by Commander C. D. 



Stearns, Governor of American Samoa. Received January 8, 1914. 

 "An ear of corn raised in American Samoa. The name of the corn is not 

 known, and it was raised quite by accident, a woman having planted a few 

 seeds." (Stear^is.) 



36997. SoLANUM TUBEROSUM L. Potato. 

 From Bogota, Colombia. Presented by Senor J. M. Vargas Vergara, Min- 



istro de Obras Publicas. Received January 9, 1914. 



" Seed potatoes which I have received from the region of Pamplona. Depart- 

 ment of Santander. While the sample referred to is not precisely that which 

 you desired, since it is not a native potato, and it has been cultivated, I believe, 

 notwithstanding, that it will be of interest to you and I am quoting below the 

 information given me by the prefect of the Province of Pamplona : ' The 

 potato which is sent to-day is knov/n as papa montanera and is cultivated in 

 clayey earth at an altitude of 2,000 meters above the level of the sea at a 

 temperature of 18° C. 



" ' There is a current story that a hunter found in the mountains of this 

 country a plant called potato; he transplanted it into his garden, from which 

 the cultivation has spread and reached to-day a point where considerable num- 

 bers are cultivated.' 



" It is said that this potato resists very well the shipment to warm countries 

 and keeps well in condition for eating for several months. My attention was 

 called to the excellent condition in which the sample arrived with reference to 

 this last observation, and, moreover, the complete absence of disease and insects, 

 which invariably attack the tubers in other localities." (Vargas Vergara.) 



