46 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



48753 to 48797— Continued. 



fed to cattle. The rainfall in Taungs is about 20 inches, the tem- 

 perature high, and the soil a deep red sandy loam. 



"There appears to he little sale for kafir com. Mealies (corn)* 

 is a money crop, kafir a food crop. From the size of the stems, 

 thifl seems to be a rather small variety." 



48773. HoRDEUM vulgare pallidum Seringe. Poacese. Barley.. 

 " (No. 108. Kimberley, Cape Province, September 27, 1919.) A 



hulled awned barley sold in market. Grown in Orange Free State." 



48774. Lathyrus sativus L. Fabacese. Bitter vetch.. 

 " (No. 97. Kimberley, Cape Province. September 27, 1919.) These 



seeds were found in bulk in the market mixed with the garden pea, 

 Pimm sativum. They were probably all grown at Cape of Good Hope 

 and in the Cape district." 



48775 and 48776. Medicago sativa L. Fabacese. Alfalfa. 



48775. "(No. 84. Upington, Cape Province. September 18, 1919.) 

 This alfalfa is the type grown on the Orange River. Small fields 

 of alfalfa are the chief source of feed aside from the native 

 grasses. This plant, as seen growing at Upington, looks much like> 

 Peruvian alfalfa. It has grow^n under conditions similar to those 

 at Yuma, Ariz., and the southwestern desert region. (The Province 

 variety grown most extensively of any in South Africa seems to- 

 be more like our Grimm.) This may possibly be that variety. I 

 have no name for it. The plant is always known as lucern m 

 South Africa." 



48776. "(No. 104. Kimberley, Cape Province. September 27, 1919. > 

 Alfalfa. Bulk seed sold in market at Kimberley, probably the 

 variety known as Province, a favorite strain in South Africa." 



48777. MiMUsops zeyheri Sond. Sapotacese. 



** (No. 154. East Pretoria, Transvaal. October 12, 1919.) Seeds of 

 Mimusops zeyheri, a yellow fruit about 1 inch long, with dry sweet flesh, 

 similar to that of a jujube. This is apparently a very large fruited 

 species of this genus, of which the fruits are said to be delicious. I did 

 not have an opportunity to test them, for I could not find the tree from 

 which the fruits came, and only those not thoroughly ripe had been cast 

 aside by the children who were eating them. It may be well worth cul- 

 tivating and should be tried first in the South and West ( southern Texas 

 seems about the best place, although it may grow much farther north)." 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 29373. 



48778. Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. Poacese. Pearl millet.. 

 (P. typhoideum Rich.) 



(No. 113. Kimberley, Cape Province. September 27, 1919.) Penni- 

 setum from market; said to be grown in Rhodesia or Transvaal. A- 

 cereal common in northern and central Africa." 



48779 and 48780. Phaseolus vulgaris L. Fabacese. Common beafi. 

 48779. "(No. 95. Kimberley, Cape Province. September 27, 1919.) 

 A Kafir native bean sold in bulk in the market, probably grown 

 in Natal by the natives. It is striped and a purer type than No.. 

 94 [S. P. I. No. 48791]." 



