SEEDS AXD PLANTS IMPOEIED. 



Paz {Juglans sp., No, 49375) ; seven pasture and forage grasses from Alta Vera 

 Paz (Xos. 49376 to 493S2) ; Persea donnell-smithii (No. 49383), a wild species 

 related to the avocado; two new species of scarlet sage (Salvia spp., Nos. 49389 

 and 49742), one with flowers somewhat richer in color than those of the scarlet 

 Siige in cultivation in America and the other with flowers twice as large; also 

 a new blue-flowered species (Salvia antarissima, 497S0) and a species of Alpinia 

 (No. 49443), related to the ginger of conunerce, which produces bright-red fruits 

 used l)y the Kekchi Indians as an ingredient of soups and stews. Dahlia max- 

 onii (No. 49757), a new species discovered by Mr. Popenoe, grows to a height 

 of IS feet and bears lilac-pink flowers, whereas D. popenovii (No. 49758) is 

 only 4 feet liigh and bears crimson flowers. Doctor Safford considers the latter 

 to be one of the wild parents of the cultivated cactus dahlias. 



Doctor Shantz's introductions which should be emphasized are as 

 follows : 



Panicuni madagascariense (No. 49210), a grass for the sandy soils of the 

 South; the m'goma tree (Ricinodendron. rautanenii, Nos. 49213 and 49214) of 

 Southern Khodesia. the wood of which is remarkably light; the Morula (Sclcvo- 

 cavija caffra, Nos. 49215 and 49315), a beautiful tree bearing edible fruits with 

 oily seeds; a tropical .iujube (ZizipJius mucronnta, No. 49219) from Bulawayo ; 

 the Rhodesian teak (Baikiaca pliirijuga. No. 4022S) ; the Rhodesian ash 

 (Biirkea africana, No. 49230) ; the Rhodesian mahogany (Paliudia quan^ensis, 

 No. 49241) ; two wild persimmons (Diospyros spp., Nos. 49235 and 49236) from 

 Victoria Falls and two from the Transvaal (Nos. 49298 and 49299) ; the inkulu 

 (Diospijvos senec/alensis, No. 49586) from the Kafue River; the uteta tree 

 (Caesalpinia sp., No. 49460), a legume bearing poisonous pods which the natives 

 boil in four successive waters before they are safe to eat ; the popular native 

 fruit mahobohobo (Uapaca sansiharica, No. 49466), astringent when green but 

 sweet when ripe; the impinji (Ximenia americana, No. 49467), a fruit re- 

 sembling the American plum; and three as yet undetermined species — the 

 m'seche (No. 49469) having the odor of a lychee, the m'fwefee (No. 49470) 

 with very sweet edible fruits, and the m'tantanvara (No. 49471) with fruits 

 like the wild cherry. The Kafir orange (Strpchnoa spinosa) has fruited so well 

 in F(.)rida that another small-fruited species (No. 49599), with an agreeable 

 flavor, may make the improvement of this wild fruit possible. The m'tingele 

 (No. 49607), the maululu (Canthium Janciflorum, No. 49608. reported to be 

 one of the most delicious fruits of the Victoria Falls region), and the m'pila 

 (No. 49609) are promising wild fruits. 



Fenugreek is an important forage crop m Egypt and has just fallen 

 short of being a real success in our own South. Its relative from New 

 South Wales {Trigomllo. suavissima, Xo. 49124), which Sir Thomas 

 Mitchell recommends for use like spinach, deserves to be thoroughly 

 tested. 



Through Consul Deichman, of Valparaiso, we have received a val- 

 uable collection of Chilean trees, some of which will doubtless find a 

 home in the region around San Francisco, -where already several of 

 these Chilean species seem quite at home. They include three of the 

 Chilean oaks {Nothofagus spp., Nos. 49274 to 492TG). - 



Vicary Gibbs has sent us bulbs of the beautiful Nomocharis {y, 

 fardantidna^ No. 49281), a lilylike plant from western China, which. 

 Keginald Farrer says, the Chinese eat as they do onions. 



