744 
it from that made from ordinary starch by the fact that it 
keeps its clearness and shape much better no matter how 
much it is boiled. It also has a better flavor and good 
keeping qualities. Perhaps it might be an addition to the 
laundry starches of America as I fancy it would take a 
much better gloss as it is harder than ordinary starch and 
would not need so much paraffin added to make a gloss. I 
doubt if the American palate would care for the vermi- 
celli, as it is clear like glass and the long strings are 
most terribly slippery to eat, worse than the round Italian 
spaghetti." (Kin.) For distribution later. 
Yigna sinensis. (Pabaceae.) 37104-110. Seeds of cow- 
peas from Zaria, Northern Nigeria. Presented by Mr. K. T. 
Rae, Department of Agriculture. Seven varieties of cow- 
peas introduced for the work of the Office of Forage Crop 
Investigations in bringing together the principal varie- 
ties of cowpeas from all parts of Africa. For distri- 
bution later. 
Zea mays. (Poaceae.) 37219. Seeds of corn from 
Puerto Bertoni, Paraguay. Presented by Dr. Moises S. 
Bertoni. "Seeds of a new variety of Early Hard Maize, 
communis minor. This is a new variety which we believe 
will be of great interest in those countries in which the 
early European maizes give good results with difficulty. 
It is a new variety which we have obtained in this Agro- 
nomic Station by hybridization and selection of various 
species of hard and soft maizes of different degrees of 
earliness. It is almost as early a ripener as the variety 
Early Soft Maize, which serves as the base, and almost as 
hard and good as the Hard Canary Maize with which it was 
first crossed. It Is notably hardy and drought resistant. 
The plant is small and of good production." (Bertoni.) For 
distribution later. 
NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD. 
Mr. Frank N. Meyer writes from Tai an fu, Shantung, 
China, March 29, 1914. "Yesterday I returned from a hur- 
ried trip to Feitcheng, bringing back with me eight graft- 
ed trees of the famous Fei peach and herewith I am sending 
you via the American Consul-General at Shanghai, one of 
these grafted trees and also a bundle of scions. Would 
you kindly have them given the best of care. I have also 
sent to Chico a similar shipment, through the American 
Consul-General at Shanghai, and still have on hand the 
other six trees which I will send from Tientsin by freight 
to Chico, together with another lot of bulky stuff. Then 
also I am sending you, through the same channel a package 
