JANUAEY 1 TO MABOH 31, 19U. 



87 



37613 to 37622— Continued. 



leaves, aud small, round, black fruits. But P. insititia and communis 

 are more closely allied ; they both have brown bark, larger and more 

 bluntly toothed leaves, but the fruit of the bullace is round and often 

 white or yellow, whilst the plum is black and oval. Intermediate forms 

 occur, of which the damson is one, having an oval, purple, .sour fruit. 

 (The damsons take their name from Damascus, where they have been 

 cultivated since before the Christian era.) The Mirabelle group of 

 plums, with round, yellow fruits, acid and sweet, belong to P. insititia." 

 (W. J. Bean, Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, vol. 2, p. 238.) 

 37620. Pyrus salicifolia Pall. Willow-leaved pear. 



See S. P. I. No. 26764 for previous introduction and description. 



"A tree 15 to 25 feet high, branchlets covered with down, which is 

 quite white w^hen young. Leaves 1^ to 3^ inches long, one-third to 

 two-thirds inch wide; narrowly lanceolate, tapering gradually towards 

 both ends, covered when young on both sides with a beautiful silvery 

 gray down ; later in the year this falls away from the upper surface, 

 leaving it shining green ; margins quite entire ; stalk one-half inch long 

 or less, sometimes scarcely noticeable. Flowers pure white, about three- 

 fourths inch across, produced in April, closely packed in small rounded 

 corymbs, the calyx and flower stalk covered with white wool. Fruit of 

 the typical pear shape, 1 to li inches long and wide. 



" Native of southeastern Europe and Asia Minor ; introduced in 1780. 

 It is much the most ornamental of all true pears. Its leaves and flowers 

 often open simultaneously, and it then presents a very charming pic- 

 ture, the willowlike leaves being of a conspicuous silky white. After 

 the flowers fade, the leaves remain silvery for some weeks, gradually, 

 however, becoming greener on the upper surface. The fruit is harsh to 

 the palate and of no value." (W. J. Bean, Trees and Shrubs Hardy in 

 the British Isles, vol. 2, p. 292-293.) 

 37621 and 37622. Ribes spp. 



37621. RiBES ALPiNUM L. Currant. 

 " This species of Ribes which is commonly called the Mountain 



currant is a native of the mountains of Europe and the Orient. The 

 branches are whitish and upright and the leaves slightly hairy above. 

 The flowers, which are dioecious, are yellowish green in color and 

 occur in staminate and pistillate clusters, the former having 20 to 30 

 flowers and the latter 5 to 10 flowers to the cluster. The peduncles 

 are glandular hairy, and the bracts are longer than the pedicel and 

 flower. The fruit of this species is smooth, scarlet colored, and 

 insipid or sweetish to the taste." (Bailey, Cyclopedia of American 

 Horticulture.) 



37622. RiBES sPECiosuM Pursh. Gooseberry. 

 This is a hardy shrub which is a native of California and ap- 

 parently of Mexico. If this species can not be said to be so beautiful 

 a shrub as Ribes sanguineum, the Scarlet currant, it is at least by 

 far the most elegant of gooseberries and considered by some to be 

 the most showy member of the genus. In brilliancy of color it is 

 perhaps superior to that species, and in the abundance of flowers 

 nearly its equal. With all its beauty, however, this species has the 

 demerit, common to all gooseberries, of hiding its pretty bright red 



