in ten good grafts of each of the numbers you for- 
V7arded, with the exception, of course, of those 
that were dead. We believe that we are going to 
get most of your material through in good shape. 
We have also saved samples of this wood for Mr. - 
Swingle to study. 
Mr. Swingle, by the way, is sailing in a few 
days for the Orient, He v;ill go first to the 
Philippines and then to Japan, but v/hether he in- 
tends to go to China I am not certain. Mr. Robin- 
son, who at one time was v/ith Dr. Kellerman, Is 
in charge during Mr. Swingle's absence. Mr. 
?/ester of the Philippines was here this winter 
and visited us several times. He gave us a good 
many Interesting points on litchis, mangos, and 
some other Philippine crops. We are making a 
special feature' of litchi and will endeavor to 
bring together a collection of different varieties, 
some good material for stock, and we are also get- 
ting some good developments in the matter of more 
rapid propagation. 
To proceed with the comments on your material, 
the ginger you sent was unfortunately completely 
rotted and v/e could do nothing with it. Of the 
Actinidias we shall be able to save some seed. T 
was very glad indeed to get the chestnuts. This 
is another crop in v/hich we are especially in- 
terested, and have already assembled a considerable 
collection with the help of Doctor Van Fleet and 
some others. Our chestnut work' and Pyrus work we 
propose to do mainly at Yarrow. The litchi work 
and" avocado work we must necessarily do here under 
glass. The greater portion of the chestnuts you 
sent were so badly rotted that they had to be 
burned. I think we shall get some plants from all 
of the numbers you forv/arded, however. Last fall 
we secured from Doctor "Van Pieet large quantities 
of the fruits of all of his best r®istant types, 
and these have been growing during the winter in 
ome of our detention houses. We now have a fine 
lot of young seedlings v/hich we shall hold over 
this Slimmer in pots and next fall line out at 
Yarrow. Doctor Van Fleet has also kindly pro- 
vided us with a large quantity of good grafting 
wood, which, if we are suc'cessful in getting 
stocks from Japan, we hope to graft this spring. 
We want to graft several thousand mollissima in 
order to have enough stock to establish four or 
five small plantations of this promising chestnut, 
so as to get a real reading on its value here in 
the East. Thro<ugh Mr. Beattie, one of the Federal 
September ?1, 1918. 
