CATALOGUE AND DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES. 103 



21085. From Tchangyang, Manchuria, January, 1907. Low, half bushy, mod- 

 erately vigorous, the row mass 12 inches high, 2 feet broad ; trail- 

 ing branches not many, 1 to 3 feet long ; leaflets medium in size 

 and color, not subject to rust, but much affected by leaf-spot; 

 flowers pale violet purple; prolific; pods well filled, held rather 

 low, straw colored, 5 to 7 inches long, the first mature in 75 days ; 

 seeds rhomboid, 6 by 8 mm., buff marbled with brown, the chalazal 

 end sometimes white ; iris yellow, closely similar to 17849, but dis- 

 tinct; not a valuable variety. The white-ended seeds sometimes 

 occur on the same plant as those wholly marbled. In 17849, on the 

 contrary, the two seed colors breed true. 



21088. New Era. Seed from F. W. Bolgiano & Co., Washington, D. C. Plants 

 erect, half bushy, moderately vigorous, the row mass 24 to 26 

 inches high, 30 inches broad; trailing branches rather few, 2 to 

 4 feet long; leaflets medium in size and color, immune to rust, 

 but a little affected by both red and white leaf-spot ; flowers violet 

 purple ; very prolific ; pods well filled, held high, of a very pale 

 straw color, nearly straight, 6 to 8 inches long, the first maturing 

 in about 75 days ; seeds rhomboid, about 7 by 7 mm., buff, thickly 

 and quite evenly speckled with blue. This variety has also been 

 grown under the following numbers: 13477, 18522, 26984, and 

 27547 from T. W. Wood & Sons. Richmond, Ya. ; 16229 from Mr. 

 Herman Ockels, Bristol, Conn. ; 0700 from Delaware College Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station ; 0702 from Mr. W. S. O'Bier, Seaford, 

 Del. ; 0706 and 0815 from the Hickory Seed Co., Hickory, N. C. ; 

 0726 from Mr. J. C. Little, Louisville, Ga. ; 01016 from Mr. A. A. 

 Milner, Chattanooga, Okla. ; 01382 from the N. L. Willet Seed 

 Co., Augusta, Ga. ; 01383 from Barteldes & Co., Lawrence. Kans. ; 

 01384 from George B. Matthews & Sons, New Orleans, La. New 

 Era has also been received from Mr. L. W. Downs, Watkinsville, 

 Ga., as "Downs Early Ripener " and grown under No. 17331. The 

 identification of this variety, which has been more or less con- 

 fused with Groit, has been confirmed by Mr. J. C. Little, who first 

 named it New Era. The origin of the New Era cowpea is un- 

 known, although it is certain that it is a variety of comparatively 

 recent introduction. At least four other varieties in our collection 

 have seeds like New Era. Two of these are from South Africa : 

 the other two were obtained in this country. One of the African 

 varieties, No. 20984, is extremely like New Era. The New Era 

 cowpea has of late years become one of the important com- 

 mercial cowpea s, being especially appreciated on acccount of its 

 earliness, its erectness, and the rather small size of the seed. 

 Occasionally it matures as far north as Connecticut, but this is 

 unusual. It is somewhat inferior to Groit, which variety is likely 

 to replace the New Era to a large extent. The pale color of the 

 pods of New Era is a conspicuous feature which also characterizes 

 all of its hybrids. 



21292. Catjang. From Bombay, India, September, 1907, under the vernacular 

 name " Lal-rawani." Erect, vigorous, the branch tips a little viny, 

 the row mass 24 to 36 inches high, 2 feet broad ; no trailing branches ; 

 stems fine; leaflets small, medium in color, affected by rust; no 

 flowers in 1908 in 127 days nor in 1909 in 133 days; flowers on 

 greenhouse plants nearly white; seeds buff, oblong, about 4 by 6 



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