1268 
and remained healthy for 4 months, whereas chose not 
so infected turned yellowish white and died in 3 or 4 
weeks. The plants from unsterilized seeds produced 
leaves bearing many more bacterial nodules than did 
those from sterilized seeds which were later artifi- 
cially inoculated. In view of the fact that these ru- 
biaceous plants with bacterial nodule-bearing leaves 
occur in many parts of the tropics and that in India, 
at least, the value of their leaves for manure has long 
been recognized, and considering the value of nitro- 
gen-fixing legumes as fertilizers, the suggestion of 
Faber that we may have in these tropical trees and 
shrubs, plants of positive agricultural value for the 
tropical planter is well worthy of consideration. The 
value of the mulch formed by the' leaves of leguminous 
and other plants is keenly appreciated by the best 
cultivators; and it may be possible to find suitable 
small shrubs of Pavetta and other rubiaceous plants 
which will be worth while growing for their nitrogen- 
fixing leaf -bacteria in the orchards of our semitrop- 
Ics or wherever else the climate will permit of their 
cultivation. " (David Pairchild. ) 
Pogonopus speeiosus (Rubiaceae), From Guatemala. 
Collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, Agricultural Explorer 
for this Department. "(No.' 191. Finca Chejel, Baja 
.Verapaz, Guatemala. October 15, 1917.) A handsome 
flowering shrub from the valley of the Rio Polochio, 
near Tucuru, Alta Verapaz. The brilliant scarlet 
bracts make the plant a striking object among the veg- 
etation along the slopes of the valley, suggesting the 
poinsettia in color. The plant is bushy in habit, 
reaching 15 feet in height, the leaves broadly lance- 
olate, acuminate, 3 to 5 inches long, with margins en- 
tire. The flowers are tubular, about 1 inch long, 
produced in corymbs 2 to 4 inches broad. Many of the 
flowers are subtended by ovate-acute bracts, 1 to 1| 
inches in length, and of brilliant crimson-scarlet 
color. This species should be tested as an ornamental 
shrub in Florida and Calif ornia. " (Popenoe. ) 
Prunus mume (Amygdalaceae) , 45523. Japanese apricot. 
From Yokohama, Japan. Purchased from the Yokohama Nur- 
sery Company. A tree with somewhat the appearance of 
the common apricot, but the bark is greenish or gray, 
and the foliage is duller in color. The leaves are 
relatively small, long-pointed, lighter colored be- 
neath, and the fragrant flowers are sessile or nearly 
