91 
bryos one to five in number. Most of the specimens ex- 
amined were polyembryonic . Seems worthy of trial in south 
Florida. The tree fruits well in this region. " (Popenoe, ) 
Moringa oleifera Lamarck. (Moringaceae . ) 40913. Seeds 
from Cuba. Collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, of this Bu- 
reau. "Palo bianco. A small ornamental tree which is 
planted in the gardens of the region. As commonly seen 
here it is a tree of about 15 or 20 feet in height, erect, 
and of very attractive appearance. The leaves are pin- 
nately compound, often nearly a foot in length, of pleas- 
ing light green color, with opposite, shortly petiolulate 
obovate-ellipti c leaflets rarely over half an inch long. 
The flowers are borne on axillary panicles six to eight 
inches long, they are white, about an inch long, and faint- 
ly fragrant. As they are produced in great abundance they 
make the tree effective as an ornamental. The slender 
triangular seed pods are often a foot in length; when ripe 
they dehisce and scatter the ground with seeds. Palo bianco 
is considered to be an antidote for manchineel {Hippomane 
mancinella) poisoning. As 'an ornamental it seems worthy of 
trial in south Florida and possibly also in southern Cal- 
ifornia, in regions protected from severe frosts." (Pop- 
enoe.) 
Persea americana Miller. (Lauraeeae.) From Cuba. Bud- 
wood collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, of this Bureau. 40912. 
"Jovellanos, Matanzas Province. Luisa avocado. The parent 
tree of this variety is growing in the garden at the Casa 
Vivienda* on the Nueva Luisa sugar estate. It is a large 
seedling, apparently 25 years old at least. Its particular 
value lies in the fact that the fruit is said to ripen in 
October, after nearly all the avocados are gone. The 
fruits, which are only about three inches long at present, 
are broadly obovate in form, with no indication of a neck, 
the skin light green when ripe and very thick. Judging 
from the immature fruit, the seed cavity is not large and 
the seed fits in it snugly. According to the gardener who 
v/as in charge of the place, the fruit is of excellent 
quality, with a rich flavor and no fiber. The tree, which 
stands among a lot of others beside a small stream which 
trickles through the garden, is bearing " a good crop of 
fruit. The only late avocado at present grown commercial- 
ly in south Florida is the Trapp.J It seems worth while to 
try out other varieties which ripen late in the season, 
and Luisa has been obtained with this view. The season is 
earlier here than in Florida, generally speaking, and an 
avocado which ripens here in October may hang on the tree 
