758 
Attalea funifera. (Phoenicaceae . ) Seeds of the pias- 
sava palm from Bahia, Brazil. "A large, pinnate-leaved 
palm, found in certain sections of the state of Bahia. It 
is valuable because of the fiber which it furnishes, as 
well as for its hard, black fruits, which are used to make 
buttons. The oily kernel, elliptical and nearly two 
inches in length, is used as an article of food by the 
natives of the poorer classes. Piassava fiber is an im- 
portant article of export at Bahia, and the manufacture of 
piassava brooms forms an industry of considerable extent. 
The fiber is extracted from the leaf stalks, and is 
coarse, stiff and cinnamon brown in color." (Dorsett, 
Popenoe, and Shamel introduction.) 
Campomanesia fenzliana . (Myrtaceae.) 37834. Plants of 
a guabiroba from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Purchased of 
Elckhoff, Carnelro, Leao & Co. "A small Brazilian myrta- 
ceous tree with foliage remarkably similar to that of some 
of the European oaks. The common name 'guabiroba', which 
is applied to it, is also given, with various minor vari- 
ations such as 'gabiroba' and 'guabiraba', to several 
fruits of the two allied genera Abbevillea and Campo- 
manesia. Although occasionally reaching a height of from 
30 to 35 feet, the guabiroba as commonly seen in gardens 
is a tree of from 20 to 25 feet in height, rather sparsely 
foliated, with elliptical-ovate entire leaves about two 
inches in length, the veins depressed on the dorsal sur- 
face, prominent on the ventral surface. The fruits great- 
ly resemble small guavas, being from three-fourths to one 
inch in diameter, oblate in form, the apex crowned by a 
large disk and prominent 5-parted calyx. In color they 
are orange yellow when fully ripe, the surface slightly 
wrinkled and covered with a thick tomentum or down. The 
skin is thin, and surrounds a layer of granular light yel- 
low pulp which encloses the seeds and the soft pulp in 
which they are embedded. The flavor is similar to that of 
the guava, but frequently a little stronger. The principal 
use to which the fruits are put is the manufacture of jams 
and jellies. The tree seems likely to prove suitable for 
cultivation in south Florida and southern California." 
(Dorsett, Popenoe, and Shamel introduction.) 
Citrus grandis . (Rutaceae.) 37724. Plant of a seedless 
pomelo from Siam. Presented by Mr. Harry Boyle, Assistant 
Horticulturist, Department of Agriculture, Philippine 
Islands. "On September 13 the writer proceeded to the 
Nakoi Chisii district where the finest pomelo orchards are 
located. The largest of these was owned by a Chinese 
planter and contained about 20 hectares, three-fourths of 
