28 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



54910. Myrianthus arboreus Beauv. Moracese. 



From Zomba, Nyasaland Protectorate. Seeds presented by E. W. Davy, 

 Assistant Director of Agriculture. Received March 13, 1922. 



A medium-sized ornamental tree with spreading branches, common in the 

 dense humid forests of tropical Africa at an altitude of about 4,000 feet. The 

 palmate leaves, with five to seven leaflets, are up to 20 inches in length. The 

 male flowers, borne in axillary clusters with peduncles 2 to 7 inches long, 

 form a solid mass of yellow, later becoming brownish gold. The edible golden 

 yellow fruits are up to 4 inches in diameter, with an acidulous-sweet flavor, 

 and in the Southwest Africa Protectorate are much esteemed by the natives 

 who bring them to the coast markets. (Adapted from Hiern, Catalogue of 

 Welwitsch's African Plants, pt. 4, P- 995; Thiselton-Dyer, Flora of Tropical 

 Africa, vol. 6, pt. 2, p. 231; and Wildeman, Mission Emile Laurent, vol. 1, 

 p. 377.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 44250. 



54911 to 54917. 



From Christiania, Norway. Seeds presented by Haakon Foss, director, 

 Agricultural Experiment Station. Received March 16, 1922. Quoted 

 notes by Mr. Foss. 



" Early varieties of barley and oats that have proved valuable in the central 

 mountain districts of Norway. They should be of interest for regions of high 

 altitude and cold climate in the United States. 



" The seeds sent were grown chiefly in 1921 at Viudingstad, the experiment 

 farm in the central mountain districts, lying at an elevation of 550 meters 

 (approximately 1,800 feet)." 



54911. AvENA SATivA L. Poacece, Oats. 



"PerZe havre (pearl oats). An early variety of oats with stiff stems, 

 selected by Doctor Christie, Hamar, Norway. The yield is very high, 

 the average for 1919 to 1921 being 3,300 kilograms of grain and 6,800 

 kilograms of straw per hectare, or approximately 92 bushels of grain 

 and 2.7 tons of straw per acre. The grain is small, but thin husked and 

 plump, and the plant may be grown at nearly the same altitude as 

 barley." 



54912 to 54917. HoRDEUii vltxaee pallidum Seringe. Poacese. Barley. 



54912. " Opdal cyg. A local variety of barley originated near Opdal 

 in the central high-mountain region. It is very early ripening and 

 of good yield under low temperature conditions and is used mostly 

 on the border of the grain-growing area." 



54913. ''Aspliind cyg. A famous new barley variety of the hexasti- 

 chum type which was selected by a Swedish farmer at Aspldnd. 

 It is not very early ripening nor very well adapted to low tempera- 

 ture conditions, but under medium conditions it is superior in 

 yield and stem stiffness to all varieties hitherto tested." 



54914. Bjoornehy cyg. A widely cultivated variety of barley, 

 originated in the eastern part of Norway. It is used mostly in the 

 lower mountain valleys." 



54915. " Donnas cyg. An old local variety of barley originated near 

 Donnes in Nordland. It is very early ripening and of extremely 

 high yield under low temperature conditions, but of only medium 

 grain qualities." 



54916. " MasJcin cyg. Selected by Doctor Christie. An early-ripen- 

 ing variety with very stiff stems and of high yield. The average 

 for 1920 and 1921 was 3,640 kilograms of grain and 4,260 kilo- 

 grams of straw per hectare, or approximately 67.6 bushels of grain 

 and 1.7 tons of straw per acre. The quality of the grain is su- 

 perior." 



54917. " Trysil cyg. A widely grown variety of barley, originatefl 

 in the eastern part of Norway. It is used mostly in the lower 

 mountain valleys." 



