1742 
and Planting, p. 260; and Pearson, Commercial Guide 
to the Forest Economic Products of India, p. 68.) 
Opuntia fieus-indiea (Cactaceae), 54689. Indian fig. 
Prom Valetta, Malta. Cuttings presented by Societa 
Economica Agraria del Gruppo di Malta, Valetta, through 
Mr. Carl Loop, American consul. These cuttings were 
received in response to a request for propagating ma- 
terial of a nearly spineless variety introduced from 
Malta in 1903 (under S.P.I. No. 9352) and said to bear 
yellowish orange fruits the size of a goose egg, of 
good flavor, and containing less than a dozen seeds. 
Prunus mume (Amygdalaceae) , 54709 to 54725. Japan- 
ese apricot. From Okitsu, Shi znokaken, Japan. Budwood 
presented by Prof. T. Onda, Bureau of Horticulture, 
Imperial Agricultural Experiment Statl on. Quoted notes 
by Prof. Onda unless otherwise specified. "The first 
trees to flower this spring at Dr. David Fairchild's 
home, 'In the Woods,' near Washington, D. C, were 
the mumes or Japanese apricots. Nearly two weeks be- 
fore the earliest of the flowering cherries were show- 
ing color, --even before the forsythias commenced to 
bloom, --the mumes were filling the yard with the fra- 
grance of spring and brightening it with huge splotch- 
es of color. 
"Doubtless our appreciation of these trees is in- 
creased by the fact that they are the first of all to 
bloom, but even after the cherries have commenced to 
flower, the mumes do not fail to delight us with their 
delicacy of color and their delicious fragrance, in 
which latter characteristic they possess a noteworthy 
advantage over the flowering cherries. Some of them 
have semidouble flowers an inch and a half in diameter 
and of the loveliest shade of pink imaginable; others 
are quite double, smaller and rose-red, and still oth- 
ers single white, double white, and so forth. 
"It seems remarkable that Americans have not yet 
learned to appreciate these trees, and to plant them 
abundantly in all those parts of the country where 
they can be grown. Prof. Onda, in presenting the fol- 
lowing excellent collection of varieties, has rendered 
a distinct service to American horticulture." (Wilson 
Popenoe . ) 
54709. "'Beni Kaga. ' An early-flowering variety 
with medium-sized white flowers followed by medium- 
sized fruits." 
54710, "'Beni Sashi.' An early-flowering variety 
