794 
Among the plant Introductions during August, the most 
interesting and important, perhaps, are two large col- 
lections of seed received from Darjeeling, in the Sikkim 
Himalayas. One of these collections was made under the 
supervision of Mr. G. H. Cave, Director of the Lloyd Bo- 
tanic Garden, at the request of Mr. Wilson Popenoe, of 
this Office, and the other by Mr. L. J. Mackintosh, at the 
request of Mr. J. P. flock of Honolulu, traveling as a Col- 
laborator of this Office. Many of the plants are of in- 
terest, several are quite new to this country, and one or 
two perhaps may prove quite worthy of continued culti- 
vation in this country. All plants listed in this bul- 
letin therefore are from Darjeeling, and the descriptions 
given are from Watt's Dictionary of the Economic Products 
of India, or Hooker's Flora of British India, unless 
otherwise specified. 
Acacia catechu. (Mimosaceae . ) 38991. Seeds of the 
cutch from Darjeeling, India. The various forms of the 
cutch tree all yield a gum, an astringent extract and a 
useful timber. The gum is of pale yellow color and often 
occurs in tears one inch in diameter. It is sweet to the 
taste, soluble in water, and forms a strong, pale-colored 
mucilage. Most of the superior qualities of gum arabic, 
especially those of south India, are very possibly ob- 
tained from this species of Acacia. The timber has yel- 
lowish-white sapwood, with heartwood either dark or light, 
red, and extremely hard. It seasons well, takes a fine 
polish, and is extremely durable. It Is used for all 
kinds of agricultural implements, wheelwrights' work, 
etc. In Burma it Is used for house posts and very largely 
as fuel for the steamers of the Irrawaddy flotilla. The 
fuel of dead cutch or khair is much valued by goldsmiths. 
In northern India cutch wood is made into charcoal, and is 
regarded as one of the best woods for that purpose. It 
has been pronounced good for railway sleepers. A cubic 
foot of the wood weighs from 50 to 75 pounds according to 
the variety. The tree is chiefly important as furnishing 
the astringent catechu, so largely used in tanning. This 
is extracted from the chips by means of boiling water, the 
heartwood only being used. This necessitates the complete 
destruction of the trees, so that the Gujarat method of 
lopping the larger branches seems more economical and 
likely to recommend Itself for general use. 
Aconitwm ferox. (Ranunculaceae . ) 38993. Seeds of 
monkshood from Darjeeling, India. One of the numerous 
forms of the so-called "Nepal aconites," so largely used 
in Indian medicine. Of interest possibly for trial in 
this country as a producer of aconite, since this group of 
the genus furnishes a poison of unusual strength. 
