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CHINA, Yachcw, Szechuan Province. Mr. E. T. Sheed, May 4. Says 
they have three varieties of oranges there, a mandarin (loose- 
skinned) , one like the Florida or California tight-skinned, 
seeded variety, and an orange with a slightly "bitter twang. 
Says he prefers the latter to either of the others. It is of 
medium size and very juicy and rough-skinned. Is grown only 
in one place near there. They have many wild "berries. There 
is a large yellow raspberry growing in the mountains that is 
particularly delicious. It has no thorns "but is very hairy. 
He will send seeds and plants from there. 
EGYPT, Port Said. Mr. 0. P. Cook, June 17. Thinks Eucommia ul- 
moides worth experimenting with to determine the value of the 
gum it contains. Thinks we ought to try a series of experi- 
ments with Ficus elastica in the irrigated districts of the 
Southwest. Ficiis nitida in Egypt is much like F. elastica. 
Thinks all the desirable trees of Egypt would grew in the 
Southwest. If excluded it would "be by heat, rather than cold. 
ERANCE, Marseilles. Director of the Colonial Museum, June 8. 
Offers to send tubers of wild species of Solarium commersonii 
and S. Maglia. 
GERMANY, Hamburg. Mr. Robert P. Skinner, American Consul General, 
June 17. Sends a report on Morocco gum and its applications. 
INDIA, Amritsar. Mr. Theo. C. Mailer, May 25. Says mangos are 
propagated there solely by grafting. Says that "banana, "blight 
is a desease unknown in India. 
JAPAN, Kobe. Mr. Walter Gassett, Vice Consul in Charge at Kobe, 
has sent a very complete report in regard to the Kudsu vine 
(Pueraria thunbergiana) , a valuable fiber plant of Japan, giv- 
ing its location, uses, methods of preparation, etc. It is 
used for fodder, for the making of a grass cloth wall paper, 
in the making of baskets and rope, and starch is made from 
the roots. A copy of the report will be sent to any one wish- 
ing further details. 
MEXICO. Mr. A. S. Hitchcock, Systematic Agrostologist of the 
Bureau of Plant Industry, is travelling in Mexico. He will go 
from Laredo to Mexico City and return by way of El Paso, with 
side trips, if possible, to Jalapa, Orizaba, Oaxaca, Guada- 
lajara and Durango . 
PRETORIA, Transvaal. Prof. J. Burtt-Davy of the Transvaal De- 
partment of Agriculture sends a colored plate and descrip- 
tion of the Kafir plum (Ximenia caffra) , which he sent us 
