146 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



38548 to 38567— Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. O. F. Cook.) 

 38548. SoLANUM MURiCATUM Aitoii. Solanacese. Pepino. 

 " June 6, 1914. Antigua, Guatemala." 



"According to Werckl^, the unripe fruits of this species under rhe 

 name pepino mango are eaten cooked like pumpkins, and when ripe form 

 a very good salad. It appears to be native to Guatemala, but in Costa 

 Rica, where it is also called mangucna, it is met with only in a state of 

 cultivation." (Pittier, Plantes Usuales de Costa Rica.) 



Cuttings and rooted plants. 



38549 to 38564. Persea Americana Miller. Lauracese. Avocado. 

 {Per sea gratissima Gaertn. f.) 



38549. " No. 1. From Antigua, Department of Sacatepeques, Guate- 

 mala. Cuttings from a large spreading tree, 35 feet high, growing 

 behind the Hotel Casa de Rojas. Altitude 5,000 feet. At this time 

 (June 6) the tree carried a large crop of mature fruit. The fruit 

 was large (3i inches in diameter), round, and hard shelled. The 

 outer skin was smooth and of a pleasing dark-green color. The 

 flesh was thick, firm, pale yellow near the seed, becoming yellow- 

 ish green toward the surface. Flavor excellent. Seed medium 

 large." 



38550 to 38564. 



Hard-shelled avocados from the market, city of Guatemala, Guate- 

 mala. 



38550. " No. 1. Round type, 10 cm. long by 9 cm. in diameter. 

 Surface green, smooth. Shell thick. Flesh firm, pale yel- 

 lowish green near seed, becoming darker toward surface. 

 Seed large." 



38551. "No. 2. Round green type with rather smooth outer 

 surface thick; tough shell. Flesh pale, whitish, firmf seed 

 large. Fruit measured about 10.5 cm. long by 9.5 cm, in 

 diameter." 



38552. " No. 3. Fruit had thick flesh of a bright-yellow color, 

 much superior in attractiveness to Nos. 1 and 2 [S. P. I. 

 Nos. 38550 and 38551], Fruit measured 10.5 cm. long by 

 9,5 cm. in diameter, shell less than 2 mm, thick, but fairly firm. 

 Outer surface rather smooth. Seed smaller than Nos, 1 and 2, 



38553. " No. 4. Fruit with very rough outer surface, green, 

 slightly longer than broad. Flesh superior to any of the 

 others. Shell thick and hard. Seed rather small. Fruit 

 measures about 10.5 cm. long by 9.5 cm. in diameter." 



38554. " No. 5. Fruit round, green, very rough-skinned, shell 

 ' extremely hard and thick (4 to 5 mm.). Flesh pale greenish 



white around seed, becoming darker toward outer shell. Seed 

 rather large. Fruit measured about 8.5 cm. long by 9 cm. wide. 

 Flat on both ends." 



S8555. "No. 6. Fruit green, rather smooth on surface, not so 

 large as No. 5 [S. P. I. No, 38554], but of similar shape. 

 Shell thick. Flesh pale greenish white near the seed, becom- 

 ing darker toward the skin ; rather thin but firm. Seed large." 



