487 
ELAEAGNUS ANGUS T I FOLIA . OLEASTER. 
"A row of very old oleasters planted along an irrigation 
canal, "benefiting the grain fields, in the vicinity Toy pro- 
tecting them against the scorching desert winds; also pre- 
venting the irrigation canal from silting up by keeping its 
hanks firm "by means of their masses of roots." From photo- 
graph "by Mr. Frank N. Meyer, taken near Guma, Chinese Turkes- 
tan, Novemher 16, 1910. 
Although in his description Mr. Meyer discusses fully 
the multifarious uses of this very interesting plant, and 
calls attention to two of its especially valuable character- 
istics, its remarkable drought resistance, and its value as 
a fixer of nitrogen, he probably fails to do justice to the 
very considerable fruit value of the large-fruited forms. 
This photograph gives no adequate idea of the considerable 
size to which the tree sometimes grows, as it not infre- 
quently attains a circumference of ten feet at a height of 
five feet above the ground, with a height of twenty to 
twenty-five feet. 
Issued December 2, 1911. 
