42 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPOETED. 



38883 to 38887— Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. W. W. 

 Mackie. ) 



sample of the malt, since we are inclined to believe that this barley, 

 under proper conditions as to cultivation and thrashing, would result in 

 jxood malt. If this barley could possibly be grown on a rich, nitrogenous 

 soil, so that the albumen content could be increased to about 13 per cent, 

 it, in our opinion, would be by far the best barley for malting purposes 

 among the samples sent.' {Report of Wahl-Henius Institute of Fennent- 

 ology. ) 



" Our field tests show this barley to be very vigorous and hardy, with 

 splendid germination. In height it Is about 20 to 30 per cent shorter 

 than the common California 6-rowed barley, but produces thicker and 

 longer heads. It is nearly 3 weeks earlier in maturing. In other words, 

 it is a quicker growing variety. On account of its propensity to rust, 1 

 would advise that it be planted inland, away from the influence of the 

 seacoast fogs. It appears to be entirely suited to the arid irrigated re- 

 gions of the Southwest. All our grains are grown entirely without rain 

 by the aid of irrigation, even to sprouting the seed. The White Turke- 

 stan yields far better than other varieties tested." 



38886 and 38887. Hordeum vulgare nigrum (Willd.) Beaven. Barley. 



38886. " Late Black Turkestan barley gathered in 1911. This bar- 

 ley was secured by me in Samarkand. Turkestan, where the winters 

 are quite severe, with considerable snow. The thermometer often 

 goes far below zero. Our tests at the experiment station show it 

 to be vigorous and hardy, but three weeks later than all other 

 barleys. It behaves much like winter wheat which lies beneath 

 the covering of snow during the winter. This barley would prob- 

 ably do w^ell in the colder regions of the United States. It yields 

 about the same as common or California barley." 



38887. " Early Black Turkestan barley. This barley is a selection 

 from the Early White Turkestan, which it resembles in every par- 

 ticular except color." 



38888. Peksea Americana IMiller. Lauracese. 



{Per sea gratissima Gaertn. f.) Murrieta avocado. 



From Pasadena, Cal. Presented by Mr. R. J. Mather. Received July 30, 

 1914. 



" The Murrieta avocado is the only one of the large-fruited, thick-skinned 

 type that ripens in the fall, as far as the author is aware, and this fact makes 

 it of special importance. Few others are on the market at the same time. It 

 is of the round type and is an ideal shipper. At the present time it is rather 

 diflicult to propagate (because the trees are growing in very shallow soil under- 

 lain with bedrock, which condition may affect the vigor of the trees and 

 through that the vitality of the buds), but this may be overcome in the future. 



" Form, obliquely roundish ; length, 3|, diameter 3^ inches ; weight, 16 to 20 

 ounces; apex slightly depressed; base rounded; cavity furrowed, narrow, very 

 shallow, and abrupt; stem stout, truncate; surface undulating to slightly 

 rough ; color, yellowish green with numerous medium, rounded, greenish-yellow 

 dots ; skin medium thick, tough, finely granular, separating readily from the 

 flesh ; flesh creamy yellow, slightly greenish near the skin ; texture fine grained. 



