immigrant who comes to this land of opportunity but must feel 
that he should bring to his new country some contribution from 
the Old World, some recompense for the chances which the New 
World holds out for him. As may be inferred from the diagram, 
Old World food plants, long since introduced here, have actually 
made this new country habitable. Except corn, all the cereals, as 
well as sugar, banana, coffee, and tea have come from the Oid 
World, which, in overwhelming proportion, has supplied the food 
plants of the earth. While such important plants as corn, potato, 
pineapple, and chocolate are natives of the New World, practically 
all the other important food plants came from abroad. This inva- 
sion of the New World by the Old W^orld useful plants began years 
before the immigration problem became serious. But today there 
need be no immigrant so humble but that he can feel, with a certain 
justifiable pride, that the Old World has contributed more than 
its share of things botanical to the New; that his wish to come 
and share the advantages which the common food plants of the 
Old World made possible here, will be respected and understood; 
and that he too may take his part, both with the native and 
immigrant population in the making of America. 
A brief list follows of the more important food-plants showing 
the probable country of their origin. 
American Food Plants 
“Alligator Pear,” Persea gratissima (Tropical America); Black- 
berry, Rubus sp. (Temperate America) ; Guava, Psidium Guajava 
(Tropical America) ; Pineapple, Ananas salivas (Tropical America) ; 
Lima Bean, Phaseolus lunatus (Tropical and Temperate America) ; 
String Bean, Phaseolus vulgaris (South America) ; Corn, Zea Mays 
(North and South America); Red Pepper, Capsicum annuum{ Tropi- 
cal America); Potato, Solatium tuberosum (South America); Sweet 
Potato Ipomoea Batatas (Tropical America); Pumpkin, Cucurbit a 
Pepo (Tropical America); Tomato, Lycopersicum esculentum (Peru); 
Chocolate, Theobroma Cacao (Tropical America) ; Black Raspberry, 
Rubus occidentalis (Temperate North America). 
Old World Food Plants 
Apple, Pyrus Malus{ E. Europe and W. Asia); Pear ,Pyrus communis 
(S. Europe and S.-W.Asia); Quince, Cydonia ob/ouga (Cent, and E. 
Asia) ; Apricot, Prutius armeniaca{C\i\c\dL and Japan) ; Peach ,P> units 
Persica (China); Mango, Mangifera iudica (India); Asparagus, As- 
paragus officinalis (Europe and Asia); Beet, Beta vulgaris (Europe 
and Asia); Cabbage, Brassica oleracea{Pvs\a.)\ Carrot, DaucusCarota 
(Europe and Asia); Cherry, Primus Avium (Asia); Date, Phoenix 
dactylifera (Arabia and N. Africa); Fig, Ficus Carica (S. Arabia); 
Lemon , Citrus Limoni a {India.) ; Orange, C it ms A u ra n li it m ( S . A si a ) ; 
Banana, Musa sapientum (Tropical Asia); Pea, Pisum sativum 
(Europe and Asia); Wheat, Triticum sativum (Mesopotamia); Rye, 
Secale cercale (S. Europe and Cent. Asia): Barley, Hotdeum sativum 
(W. Asia); Rice, Oryza saliva (Tropical Asia); Oats, Avena saliva 
6 
