APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30^ 19U. 



71 



37943— Continued. 



this name is correct. Mr. Burnett, who was quite a horticulturist, said their bo- 

 tanical name was Dioscorea alata. I grew them for five years near Palatka 

 (at Florahome) and they did well on high hammock land. Down here in Dade 

 County, on very light sandy and rocky land, they produce as much as sweet 

 potatoes, and with me take the place of Irish potatoes ; the latter will not suc- 

 ceed in this dry soil at all. The yams keep for months." (J. De Hoff.) 



37944. Phoebe nanmu (Oliver) Gamble. Lauracese. Nanmu. 



(MacJiilus nunmu Hemsl.) 

 From Chungking, China. Presented by the American consul. Received 

 May 1, 1914. 



37945 and 37946. Coix spp. Poaceae. Job's-tears. 



From the northern Shan States, Burma. Presented by Mr. H. G. Carter, 

 Economic Botanist to the Botanical Survey of India, Indian Museum, 

 Calcutta, India. Received April 20, 1914. Quoted notes by Mr. Carter. 

 For detailed information relating to these two varieties, see Sir George Watt's 

 account of Coix published in the Agricultu^-al Ledger No. 13, of 1904, 



37945. Coix LACRYMA-jOBi MA- YUEN (Rom.) Stapf. 

 " Forma 4. No. 3bl95, edible." 



37946. Coix lacryma-jobi stenocarpa (Oliver) Stapf. 

 "No. 3bl97. Used for bead chains, door screens, and rosaries.** 



37947. SoLANUM TUBEROSUM L. SolanacesB. Potato. 



From Raetihi, New Zealand. Purcliased of Mr. J. G. Harris. Received 

 April 22, 1914. 



"New Era potato. The potatoes are lemon colored in the skin and oval in 

 shape ; they are shallow in the eyes and will be economical in use. They grow 

 to a large size, and it is no infrequent thing for a whole root to average a pound 

 per tuber. Indeed, a drawback to the propagation of this potato is the remark- 

 ably few small potatoes grown. On my land, which is light and lies in the 

 center of the North Island of New Zealand at an elevation of 2,000 feet, I have 

 grown this variety up to 20 tons to the acre. We have frequent summer frosts 

 here on account of the elevation, but these frosts, though they blacken the ordi- 

 nary varieties of potatoes, do not affect the New Era. Indeed, nothing short of 

 a heavy frost will touch it, but it is the blight-resisting qualities of this potato 

 Avhich are chiefly remarkable. Season after season, growing in a field with 

 other kinds on both sides, it has remained unaffected while the various other 

 kinds have been blackened and ruined. 1 am confident that unless long culti- 

 vation lessens the potato's virility the Irish blight will soon be no longer a 

 terror to potato growers." (Harris.) 



37948 to 37955. 



From China. Collected by Mr. Frank N. Meyer, Agricultural Explorer for 

 the Department of Agriculture. Received May 1, 1914. Cuttings of the 

 following; quoted notes by Mr. Meyer. 



37948 to 37952. Diospyros kaki L. f. Diospyracese. Persimmon. 

 From near Tsaochowfu, Shantung, China. Collected March 10, 1914. 



