92 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



38136. Pelargonium capitattjm (L.) L'Herit. Geraniacese. 



Rose geranium. 



From Marseille, France. Presented by Mr. Alphonse Gaulin, American 

 consul general, who secured them through Mr. P. Basson from the Jardin 

 Botanique de Marseille. Received May 20, 1914. 

 " Rose geranium plants grown in this district. These plants are similar to 

 those grown in the Toulon region." {GauUn.) 



38137. Pelargonium odoratissimum (L.) Solander. Geraniacese. 



Rose geranium. 



From Nice, France. Presented by Mr. William Dulany Hunter, American 

 consul. Received May 20, 1914. 

 See S. P. I. No. 38056 for description. 



38138. Medicago sativa L. Fabaceae. Alfalfa. 



From Paris, France. Procured from H. Fauchet & Co., through Mr. 

 Alexander M. Thackara, American consul. Received May 9, 1914. 

 For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 34863. 



38139. Trifolium alexandrinum L. Fabaceae. Berseem. 



From Cairo, Egypt. Presented by Mr. Ralph S. Green, through Mr. Olney 

 Arnold, agent and consul general. Received May 18, 1914. 



" Our special Misgawi [also called Muscoioi and Muskawi] Is by far the most 

 important variety. It is tall, luxuriant in growth, and yields an astonishing 

 amount of green forage. It is very largely grown under perennial irrigation. 

 It requires plenty of water and will give four or five cuttings and a seed crop. 



" The cultivation of Misgawi berseem is of the simplest nature, as the crop 

 is little trouble after a stand is obtained. The seed is usually sown here in 

 October and November, the amount used being 30 kilos per acre. The method 

 of sowing depends on the locality. In the basins it is sown broadcast on the 

 mud as soon as the water is off. After cotton or doura (maize) there are 

 two chief ways of sowing the berseem. In one the standing crop is heavily 

 watered about 10 days before harvesting, and the seed is broadcast in the water. 

 In the other method the crop is removed and the land ridged ; the ridges are 

 split with the native plow. In case the crop is doura on the flat, a single 

 plowing is given with the native plow. The land is then rolled, divided by 

 ridges into convenient areas for w^atering, watered heavily, and the seed sown 

 broadcast on the water. It sinks to the bottom, and on the removal of the 

 water quickly germinates. In some cases the seed is soaked before sowing 

 to make it sink more readily, but this does not seem to be necessary unless 

 there is wind. Whether it is better to sow among the standing crop or not, 

 depends on the locality. It is better to plow, if possible, but in the northern 

 part of the delta region the cotton picking is late, and if the Misgawi is sown 

 after the cotton is off, it is very slow in coming to maturity, as the cold 

 weather has then set in. It is usual there to sow among the cotton when the 

 land is being flooded after the picking. 



" When the seed is sown early, and so gets the benefit of the warm weather, 

 the plant grows rapidly and is watered as often as seems necessary. There is 

 danger in very early sowing, however, as the young plants, particularly in the 

 southern part of the delta region, are subject to the attacks of surface cater- 

 pillars and cotton worms. Late sowing, on the other hand, may retard a crop 



