1251 
Polygonum tineiorium (Polygohaceae) , 45605. From 
China. Collected by Mr. Frank N. Meyer, Agricultural 
Explorer for this Department. "(No. 2443a. Hankow, 
China. June 14, 1917.) An annual herb, much cultivated 
throughout northern and central China for the blue 
dye it produces, which however, fades easily. It is 
sown on rich lands towards the end of February, and 
the first cutting is made during June, and a much 
smaller one during August. Further north the sowing 
takes place later and but one cutting can be obtained. 
To procure the dye-material the plants are deposited 
in plastered pits, water is poured over them and they 
are allowed to decay for several weeks; then the stems 
are taken out and the water is allowed to evaporate. 
When at last the slimy mass in the pit has become 
sufficiently dry, quicklime is added and thoroughly 
mixed and the material Is allowed to dry out until it 
can be well worked. It is then taken out and kept in 
tubs, barrels, and other vessels until needed for 
dyeing. The freshly dyed cloth posseses a most un- 
pleasant odor, which can often be detected for a con- 
siderable distance. Slowly, however, the wind takes 
away the odor and garments can then be made from It. 
The dye seems to be used almost exclusively for the 
dyeing of coarse cotton cloth. Chinese name of the 
plant Liao lan." (Meyer.) 
Saecharum offieinarum (Poaceae), 45519. Sugar cane. 
From Reduit, Mauritius. Presented by the Director, 
Department of Agriculture. White Tanna. This is the 
widest grown of all the sugar cane varieties on the 
Island of Mauritius, occupying forty-seven per cent 
of all the land given over to sugar cane raising. It 
Is a variety which is grown equally well on the high- 
lands or lowlands. There are two sources from which 
this variety came. It arose as a sport on several 
estates of the Colony, and has since been widely cul- 
tivated. It was also received from the Department of 
Agriculture of New South Wales in 1895. The present 
variety is probably decended in part from each of the 
sources mentioned above. (Adapted from Henri Robert, 
Sugar-Cane, Varieties in Mauritius . ) 
