714 
height, 40 to 60 feet. (Maiden, Useful native plants of 
Australia, p. 599.) Introduced as a possible stock for 
less hardy anacardiaceous fruit-bearing trees. For distri- 
bution later. 
PolahowsJcia tacaco. ( Cucurbitaceae . ) 36592. Seeds from 
San Jose, Costa Rica. Presented by Mr. Carlos Werckle, 
Department of Agriculture. "A cucurbitaceous plant, the 
fruit of which is used as a green vegetable. It is a near 
relative to the chayote, but the fruit is smaller, fusi- 
form, set with stiff spines at the base and of quite a 
distinct taste. It is one of the primitive foods of the 
native Indians of Costa Rica, where it grows wild in 
fresh, shady places of the temperate region, and its use 
as a vegetable has been readily adopted by the Spanish 
Costa Ricans. Nowadays the plant is at least semiculti- 
vated on the central plateu. To grow it, a whole mature 
fruit is set in a rich loose leaf moid with the spiny end 
up and almost showing at the surface. The vines spread on 
the ground or on low bushes or supports. The fruits, 
which are about 2% inches long and 1% inches broad, hang 
from short peduncles and are picked when still green. 
After taking away the basal spines they are boiled in 
water, either whole or cut into small pieces, or pickled, 
or made into preserves. They are also a favorite addition 
to the native vegetable soups." (H. Pittier.) For dis- 
tribution later. 
Solanum quitoense. ( Solanaceae . ) 36597. Seeds of the 
lulo from Santander-Qullichao , Colombia. Presented by Mr. 
D. G. Prado. "A fruit resembling a tomato. The fruit 
when ripe is yellow, has a sour pleasant taste and is used 
to make cooling drinks. It lasts eight or ten days after 
cut and in the States it may be cultivated with profit to 
supply the soda fountains with a fruit to make flavoring 
extracts. I believe it can be grown in Florida, Cali- 
fornia and Texas." (Prado.) For distribution later. 
NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD. 
Mr. F. W. Popenoe writes from Bahia, Brazil, December 
5th, 1913. "The oldest inhabitant doesn't recall any such 
weather in December as we are having at the present time; 
we are told that it is very unusual, etc., but the fact 
remains that it is wet, and I think if we stay here much 
longer we will all grow web-footed. We have had a week of 
solid rain, rain every day and a good part of every day; 
my leather suitcase has turned into a mushroom patch, and 
my panama hat has grown whiskers. We simply can't get our 
clothes dry, and have given up trying to do so until the 
sun shows its face again, if it ever has the courage 
to do so. 
