1327 
Astragalus sinieus (Fabaceae), 45995. Genge clover. 
From Yokohama, Japan. Purchased from the Yokohama 
Nursery Company. Late Giant variety. "Another field 
crop very extensively grown for human food, and partly 
as a source of soil nitrogen, is closely allied to our 
alfalfa. Tender tips of the stem are gathered before 
the stage of blossoming is reached and served as -food 
after boiling or steaming. It is known among the 
foreigners as Chinese clover. The stems are also cooked 
and then dried for use when the crop is out of sea- 
son. For the tender shoots, when picked very young, 
wealthy Chinese families pay an extra high price, some- 
times as much as 20 to 28 cents our currency per 
pound." (King, Farmers of Forty Centuries, p. 128.) 
Berberis japoniea bealei (Berberidaceae ) , 45973. From 
Batum, Russia. Presented by the Superintendent, Bo- 
tanical Garden. A stiff evergreen shrub native of 
China, often 10 feet In height, with thick, unbranched 
stems. The pinnate leaves, 1 to 2 feet long, are made 
up of 7 to 13 obliquely ovate, dark dull green leaf- 
lets 8 inches long by 6 inches wide, having 4 to 6 
large spiny teeth along each margin. The delightful- 
ly fragrant lemon-yellow flowers are borne in a clus- 
ter of several slender erect racemes 6 to 9 Inches 
long, and are followed by oblong purple berries one- 
half of an Inch long. (Adapted from Bean, Trees and 
Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, vol. 1, p. 244.) 
Cueumi8 melo (Cucurbitaceae) , 46029. Australian 
casaba. From Burringbar, Australia. Presented by Mr. 
B. Harrison. "I am enclosing seeds of the Australian casaba, 
the correct name of which I do not know, but which I 
believe originally came from India. It Is a most pro- 
lific plant, bearing cream-colored fruit about the 
size of a cucumber. It is sometimes called the apple 
melon, and is quite popular here, being very palatable 
when eaten with sugar or made up into pies. It is 
hardy, prolific, and early, and should thrive well 
throughout the United States ." (Harrison. ) 
Decaisnea insignis (Lardizabalaceae ) , 45977. From 
India. Seeds presented by Mr. George F. Mitchell, 
Washington, D. C, who obtained them from Mr. G. H. 
Cave, Lloyd Botanic Garden, Darjeellng, India. "A bush 
from northern Sikkim, that bears wonderful/fruit about 
as large around as one's thumb and about 4 inches 
long. Mr. Cave sent a man to Sikkim especially to 
