APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1914. 



11 



a rare species of Anacardium (No. 38*209) from Cuba, related to 

 the cashew, which might prove a good stock for that fruit; the 

 fruta de condessa (Xo. 38171), an indigenous annonaceous fruit, 

 Rollinia cleJiciosa Safford, from Eio de Janeiro; the guabiroba, 

 Campomanesia fenzliana (Berg) Glaziou (No. 37834), a Brazilian 

 myrtaceous fruit resembling the guava, but stronger flavored and 

 highly esteemed for jellies; three new Eugenias with edible fruits, 

 suited to culture in Florida (Nos. 37830 to 37832) ; the bright yel- 

 low-fruited Rheedia hrasiliensis (Mart.) Planch, and Triana (Xo. 

 37802) from Rio de Janeiro, strongly resembling in taste the famous 

 mangosteen; the imbu, Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Xos. 37861 to 

 37^65), from Januaria, one of the most popular fruits of the interior 

 of Brazil. 



The most important addition to subtropical fruits, however, is 

 doubtless that made by the Guatemala expedition under the charge of 

 IVfr. O. F. Cook, in the shape of 24 varieties of hard-shelled avocados 

 (Xos. 38477, 38549 to 38564, 38578, 38581, 38583, 38587, and 38638 to 

 38640) collected in the region of Coban. Antigua, and the city of 

 Guatemala, some of them at an altitude of 5,000 feet. As these ripen 

 late, in the winter and spring, and are of gcod quality, some of them 

 should be of special value in assisting the development of that 

 remarkable new fruit industry which is rapidly getting on its feet 

 in southern California and southern Florida. 



MISCELLANEOUS PLANTS OF INTEREST. 



The discovery of a new oil plant seems to have been made in the 

 Xgart, PJukenetia conophora Muell. Arg. (Xo. 38644). a creeping 

 plant from Kamerun. which is cultivated in the cornfields there and 

 bears nuts the size of walnuts which contain 53.8 per cent of an 

 oil similar to linseed oil, which is used for cooking and also as a 

 drying oil. From the leaves of the carnauba wax palm, Copernicia 

 cerifera Martins (Xo. 37866), a wax is secured that was formerly 

 used for phonograph records. Their fruits are said to be an excellent 

 bog feed, and a grove of palms for hog pasturage seems not to be an 

 impossibility. 



The Chia, a species of Salvia (Xo. 38048), from the swollen seeds 

 of which, according to Purpus, the Mexicans make a refreshing 

 drink which was used by the ancient Aztecs, should interest ama- 

 teurs in the South, as well as the ava plant, Piper Tnethysticiim 

 Forster (Xo. 38291), from which the South Sea Island kava is made. 

 The true gum-arabic acacia. Acacia verelc Guill. and Per. (Xo. 

 38524). from Khartum, may be capable of acclimatization in our 

 southwestern desert region. 



