OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1921. 



29 



54622 to 54643— Continued. 



54628. Crinodendbon patagua Molina. Elieocarpaceae. Patagua, 

 (Tricuspidaria dependens Ruiz and Pa v.) 



"(No. 672. Santa Ines, Chile. October 6, 1921.) Patagua. A Chilean 

 tree which grows well in swampy regions. It has small, bell-shaped, 

 white, fragrant flowers, giving it value as an ornamental. The wood 

 is used for cabinetmaking and the bark for tanning. Introduced at the 

 request of Dr. F, V. Coville, of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture." 



54629. Cbyptocaeta ErsRA (Molina) Skeels. Lauraceae. Peumo, 

 (C peumus Nees.) 



"(No. 667. Santa Ines, Chile. October 6, 1921.) One of the hand- 

 somest of the native Chilean ornamental trees of rather small size, 

 erect in habit, and in character of foliage somewhat suggests the live 

 oak of southern California. In autumn it bears a profusion of red fruits 

 the size of olives, which greatly add to its decorative value. The 

 fruits have a thin layer of pulp surrounding a large seed and are eaten 

 when cooked. They are not, however, of much value. The species is 

 one which should be tried in our Southwestern States." 



54630 and 54631. Frag art a chixoensis (L.) Duchesne. Rosacese. 



Chilean strawberry. 



54630. "(No 653. Santa Ines, Chile. October 6, 1921.) Frutilla 

 roja, or red-fruited Chilean strawberry. This is a selected strain 

 of the common Chilean strawberry, said to produce fruits of large 

 size and good quality. It will be of interest to strawberry 

 breeders in the United States, and in addition it is worthy of trial 

 in our Southwestern States. While the fruit of Frngaria chilocn'Sis 

 is inferior in quality to that of our best cultivated strawberries, 

 it is remarkable for its excellent shipping and keeping qualit es; 

 and it seems that varieties might be produced by selection which 

 would merit cultivation on a commercial scale. 



" The berry is much used for canning and preserving. It is 

 also eaten fresh. It is a curious circumstance that this species of 

 strawberry, whose fruits are commonly an inch to an inch and a 

 half long, should be called in Chile. Peru, and Ecuador frutilla 

 (little fruit), while the much smaller fruit of Fragaria vesca, 

 rarely over half an inch long, is termed fresa or strawberry. This 

 last-named species is cultivated commercially at Quillota, Chile, 

 whence the fruit, which ripens earlier than that of F. chiloensis, is 

 sent to the markets of Santiago. 



"As far as I can ascertain by careful examination of the plants 

 and fruits, the frutillas of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador are of the 

 same species. Neither in Peru nor in Chile, however, do the plants 

 bear all through the year as they do on the sandy plains near 

 Ambato. Ecuador. I suspect the difference in climat e conditions 

 is the cause of this : on the Equator there are no well-defined sea- 

 sons and the plants remain active throughout the year ; while here 

 in Chile the seasons are fairly well defined and vegetative activity 

 ceases during a part of each year, as with us. The ripening sea- 

 son of F. chiloensis in the highlands of southern Peru and central 

 Chile seems to extend, approximately, from the latter part of Octo- 

 ber to January." 



54631. -(No. 654. Santa Ines, Chile. October 6, 1921.) Fru- 

 tilla Manca de Chile, or white Chilean strawberry. This strr>w- 

 berry differs from S. P. I. No. 54630 in the color of its fruits, which 

 are of a much lighter shade of red than those of the latter. It 

 does not seem to be nearly so well known nor so extensively grown 

 in Chile as the common red variety, but it is recommended by 

 Sr. Izquierdo as a large and handsome fruit, highly perfumed. It 

 will be of interest to our strawberry breeders." 



