493 
like a "black- cherry than any other northern fruit I can think 
of. When I remember the size of the wild fruit -which the 
common cherry is supposed to have originated from, I think 
this little fruit promises to repay cultivation well. I would 
suggest . trying it in Florida or California or Texas. The 
latter place might, I think, be the "best for it. From. mid- 
August to the end of September- is the time of fruiting, i. e. 
early spring here." (Birch.) For distribution later. 
NOTES FROM FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS. 
CHINA. Canton. Pres. C. E. Edmunds, of Canton Christian 
College, writes October 7 that he has just returned from a 
trip through Ewangtung and Kiangsi provinces, and expects to 
leave shortly for a journey in Yunnan and Szechuan, but so 
far has failed to find the wild-rice, Zizania, which we 
requested of him. 
EGYPT. Assiout. Mr. Aaron Aaronsohn, collaborator of 
this Department, who is at present studying the Egyptian 
varieties of dates, with a view to the importation of the 
best varieties, writes October 25 that he has received the 
greatest assistance from the officers of the Department of 
Agriculture of Egypt, who have undertaken to bring together, 
pack and ship offshoots of all the varieties decided upon by 
him as the best suited for trial in this country. In an 
earlier letter he describes the "Dry land date culture" Of 
the Mediterranean shore between Alexandria and Rosetta, where 
tremendous crops are grown entirely without irrigation, and a 
rapidly increasing area is being brought under cultivation. 
Mr. Aaronsohn also writes from Assouan, October 29, that 
he has succeeded in finding at Assiout, the true "Wahi" date, 
and is arranging to secure the offshoots through the American 
consular agent at the place. From Assouan he is sending five 
selected varieties, and hopes to obtain specimens of some 
fine dates at the Luxor market. 
FRANCE. Paris. Mr. Walter T. Swingle, who has been 
attending the International Congress of Genetics in Paris, 
writes November 5, that he has been investigating the citrus 
relatives of Africa, and has found two new genera and a new 
species. The governer general of Algeria has promised that 
Dr. Trabut, and M. Brunei, the Director of agriculture for 
Algeria, soon to be appointed, shall visit America next year. 
November 12 he writes, "I shall bring back in my cabin living 
plants of the new African bael fruits, one of these able to 
grow in brackish water and will be a rival of Gonocitrus 
angulata as a stock for Citrus in alkali lands. ' I go to 
