OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1920. 



31 



yellow to deep yellow, with a suggestion of red ; lenticels small, numerous, 

 brownish; bloom bluish white; skin medium thick; seed large; fiber rather 

 abundant, fine ; flesh yellow, tender, and juicy ; quality good, moderately vigor- 

 ous. Monoembryonie. Season, July." (Wester, Bulletin No. IS, Bureau of 

 Agriculture, Philippine Islands, p. 27.) 



51606. PoLAKOWSKiA TACACO Pittier. Cucurbit acese. 



From San Jose, Costa Rica. Fruits presented by Ot6n Jimenez, Depart- 

 ment of Botany, National ^luseum. Received November 3, 1920. 



A cucurbitaceous plant, the fruit of which is used as a green vegetable. It is 

 a near relative to the chayote, but the fruit is smaller, fusiform, beset with 

 stiff spines at the base, and lias a quite different flavor. It is one of the prim- 

 itive foods of the natives of Costa Rica, where it grows wild in moist, shady 

 places of the temperate region, and its use as a vegetable has readily been 

 adopted by the Spanish Costa Ricans. The fruits, about 2^ inches long and 1^ 

 inches broad, hang from short stems and are picked while still green. After 

 removing the basal spines they are boiled in water, or pickled, or made into pre- 

 serves. They are also a favorite addition to the native soups. (Adapted from 

 note of Pittier under S. P. I. Xo. 262U-) 



" The kinds which are cultivated contain very little flber. They are used in 

 many ways, as greens, pickled, as dessert, as a vegetable, etc., and in any one 

 of these ways are very popular with us, and rightly so, I bel eve. The most 

 common way consists in cooking the entire fruit with the leaves. When cooked, 

 the skin comes off easily, and by pressing with the thumb and finger the seed 

 comes out easily ; all that remains, with the exception of a little fiber, is eaten." 

 (Jimenez.) 



51607 to 51612. 



From Salisbury, Rhodesia, Africa. Seeds presented by H. G. Mundy, agri- 

 culturist and botanist. Department of Agriculture. Received November 

 4, 1920. Quoted notes by Mr. Mundy, except as otherwise stated. 



51607. Canavali enstforme (L.) DC. Fabace.ie. Jack bean. 

 " Gotani bean." 



" The jack bean is a native of the West Indies and the adjacent main- 

 land and is a bushy, semierect annual with coarse stems, thickish leaves, 

 purplish flowers, and hard, white pods, 9 to 14 inches long, each con- 

 taining 10 to 14 white seeds. Usually the roots are well tubercled, and 

 the plant will withstand much drought. It is remarkably free from in- 

 sects and fungous diseases. It is valuable as forage and as a cover crop 

 or for green manure." (C. V. Piper.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 49259. 



51608. DoLiCHOS LABLAB L. Fabaccfe. Hyacinth bean. 

 "Woodforde's dolichos bean; also known as the Painted Lady bean." 

 For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 47978. 



51609 to 51611. HoLcus soKGHUM L. PoaceiB. Sorghum. 

 (Sorghum vulgar e Pers.) 



51609. ''Jiha Kafir corn." 



51610. "l/'&e/e; native variety of Kafir corn." 



51611. " Birdproof Kafir corn." 



51612. Stizolobium nh-eum (Roxb.) Kuntze. Fabacere. 

 " White stringless velvet bean." 



" This has now been cultivated in Florida and other Southern States 

 for several years. It requires about the same length of time to mature 

 as the Florida velvet bean (Stizolobium deeringianum Bort) or is per- 

 haps slightly earlier. It is, however, much more prolific in seed pro- 

 duction and is therefore likely to come into prominent use. It also 

 has the advantage over the Florida velvet bean in being wholly devoid 

 of stinging hairs." (C. V. Piper.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 46449. 



