589 
is almost never put up in attractive form but Is sold in bulk. 
Dates of this variety can be found in practically every gro- 
cery in Spain where they are known as "Datiles de Berberia." 
The fruit is large, from two to two and a half inches long, 
and from three-fourths to one inch thick. It is semi-trans- 
lucent, dark brown in color, and has flesh rather firm in 
texture of a most delicious flavor. It is much darker in col- 
or than the Deglet Noor variety, and keeps much better. The 
dates always have the calyx attached to the stem end. This 
gift from the Service Botanique of the Algerian government to 
the Department of Agriculture marks an epoch in American date 
culture. These, selected offshoots from the best locality in 
Tafilelt will not only show how thl6 famous variety succeeds 
in the New World deserts, but will also make it possible to 
determine how truly it has been reproduced by the seedlings, 
some* thousands of which are already growing in California." 
(Swingle.) For distribution later. 
PRUNUS SIBIRICA. ( Amygdalaceae . ) 34134. Seeds of a 
Prunus from Novospassko, Russia. Presented by Mr. A. D. Voei- 
kov. "A species of Prunus, closely related to the apricots, 
occurring in Eastern Siberia, Manchuria, and Mongolia. May be 
of value for breeding experiments." (Frank N. Meyer.) For 
distribution later. 
SCHEFFLERA ACTINOPHYLLA . ( Araliaceae . ) 34123. Seeds of 
the "plnankaral" from Wellington Point, near Brisbane, Queens- 
land. Presented by Mr. James Pink. "This is best known as 
the Queensland umbrella tree, which is a truly descriptive 
term for the growth of the foliage. It grows 20 to 30 feet 
high and has flowers on a terminal spike." (Pink.) For dis- 
tribution later. 
STRYCHNOS GERRARDI . (Loganiaceae . ) 34161. Seeds of the 
quaqua from Mozambique, Portuguese East Africa. Presented by 
the Inspector of Agriculture. "A small tree, from three to ten 
metres high, without thorns and with exceedingly variable 
leaves. Fruit one-celled, globose, two to three inches in 
diameter, glaucous, glabrous, often spotted, with a hard 
shell, and numerous flat seeds lying in acidulous edible 
pulp." (Sim, Forest Flora of Portuguese East Africa.) For 
distribution later. 
TRITICUM SP. (Poaceae.) 34126. Wheat from La Guaira, 
Venezuela. Presented by Mr. Thomas W. Voetter, American con- 
sul. "The grower of this wheat stated that It came to Vene- 
zuela originally from the Canary Islands and that it has been 
found to be the best variety known here to resist dry weather. 
