695 
value and special effort should be made to make the Ameri- 
can public acquainted with it." (Meyer's introduction.) 
For distribution later. 
Saraca indica. (Caesalplniaceae . ) 36092. Seeds from 
Lai Bagh, Bangalore, India. Presented by the Government 
Botanic Gardens, Lai Bagh, through Mr. F. W. Popenoe of 
this Office. "One of the handsomest of Indian ornamental 
trees, producing large heads of the most brilliant scarlet 
flowers imaginable. While restricted to the tropical 
sections of India, it may be sufficiently hardy to succeed 
in south Florida." (Popenoe.) For distribution later. 
Ugni molinae . (Myrtaceae.) 36132, 36150-151. Seeds of 
the murta from Chile. Collected by Mr. W. F. Wight of 
this Bureau. "'Murta' or 'Murtilla. ' A shrub 4 to 8 feet 
high with rather ornamental foliage, but esteemed in Chile 
for its berries which are from one-fourth to one-half inch 
in diameter and very palatable. They are often gathered 
and sold on the market in various towns, and a 'dulce' is 
made from them that is considered excellent. No attempt 
has so far been made to cultivate this shrub in Chile, but 
by careful selection no doubt the size and quality of the 
fruit could be Improved and something of value developed. 
It is rather widely distributed, growing in the region of 
dry summers as well as in Chlloe." (Wight.) For distri- 
bution later. 
Zea mays. (Poaceae.) 36185-195, 36197-209, 36211-253. 
Seeds of corn from Peru and Bolivia. Collected by Mr. W. 
F. Wight of this Bureau. Sixty-six varieties of corn from 
La Paz, Arequipa, Cuzco, etc. For distribution later. 
NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD. 
Egypt. Cairo. Mr. S. C. Mason writes September 29: 
I reached Cairo yesterday morning after an absentee of 18 
days on a trip to Sudan. As the Sudan government is in 
most matters very distinct from Egypt, I found it necessa- 
ry to act through our consul and the Sudan agency in 
Cairo, who sent me direct to Khartum, from which point all 
Sudan officials nad been notified of my coming, so I was 
In receipt of every official and personal courtesy from 
the time I reached the Sudan border, even my start from 
Cairo and the changes from train to boat being made com- 
fortable. Berber I found had been so decimated by the 
Mahdl that it was not worthwhile to stop there. As I had 
to await train day to get into Dongola I went one day up 
the Blue Nile to Tayiba where they operate a government 
