, 1910-12-14
USEFUL VARIETY OF sORREL.

new,yariety of red sc. rel Hibiscus Sabdarifu(
the account of which is reproduced below. Re
cent information concerning the sorreI Tor
roselle) has been given i'll the agricultural
Neccs, Vols. VII, p. PA and VIII P. 388:-
The roselIe, Hibiscus Sa6dmTfu, Linn,
though native to the Old World Tropics, has
long been sparingIy introduced to the West
Indies and IseWhere III tropical America.
1t was reported III Jamaica as early as 1851
by Hans Sloane, who stated that it was
planted in most gardens of that Island,
whore, Tho capeulnr leaves are made use of
for making Tarts, Gellies, and Wine, to be
used in feyers and hot d~istempers, to alluy
heat and quench thirst In Florida, whore
the date OF its Introduction, though unre-
corded, is evidently recent, it is very com
monty known as Jamaica Sorre!, and in,
parts of tropical America, notably the Canal
Zone, 1t bears this name, indicating the ia
maicau channel through which the species
was probably distributed in the New World.
Notwithstanding its long recognition as a
valuable plant in both the Old and the New
Worlds, little attention appears to have been
paid to the development Of improved strains
until recently. In fact, 50 far as known, the
Victor is the first variety or race to be Dig
niied with Il varietal name. This is proba-
bly, due to the fact that in India, as has been
stated by Wester, the species, though re-
cognized as possessing edible qualities, has
chiefly been grown as a fibre plant rather
than for its edible caIices, the portion priced
III the American tropics. As the plant is a
tropical annual, requiring at least six months
OF warm weather free from frost to bring it
up to the beginning OF its harvest period,
and about two months more to mature it's
full crop,i its chief interest to American plant
ers will be in southern Florida and frost free
localities iii California, together with Porto
Rico, the Canal Zone, Hawaii and The Phil
lppIneS. Its %luXurlant growth ana great
productlveness may render it sufficiently
profitable in some sections, where frost oc-
ours too early to permit its seed to ripen,
however. 1t appears not improbable that
earlier maturing varieties may yet be de-
yeIoped which may be adapted to a consi-
derable portion of the cotton States.
The Victor was originated at Miami, Flo
rida, by Mr.. ?. j. Wester, Special Agent in
the Bureau Of Plant Industry. Having obtain
ed a few plants of the common roselle in 1904
from Mr.. w. A. H. Hobbs, of Cocoa nut
Grove, for planting in the Subtropical Gar
den at Miami, Mr.. Wester observed marked
variation among them and began selecting
seed from those bearing the largest calices
and showing other desirable characteristics,
with the result that in the second generation
Of plants (1906), the strain was considered
fixed, and has SO continued.
Description. Mr., Wester's characteriza-
ton of the Victor is as follows. The plants
Of the Victor variety are inclined to be a
tritle more dwarf than the common kind, but
the foliage is similar. The measurements Of
the calyX Of the common variety are length
30 MN, diameter 22mm.; in the improved
type the measurements are 40 nm, and 20
mm, respectively. The increase in size is
thus seen to be rather more in length than in
d'"moter.C alicos Of the improved type HAYS in
some instances been SO nm, long and 38mm.
in diameter. The improved type is also dis
tinct in being more strongly ribbed longitu-
dinally, and in having the caIyx not so close
ly ADDRESSED to the seed pod as in the
common variety. 1t is frequently inclined
to be cOnvolute at the apex.
As a tropical plant yielding q quick return
ia the form of a sauce, jam, and ielly-pro-
ducing fruit, closely resembling in quality
the cranberry of the North, the Victor is
worthy Of testing wherever the common ro-
selle has been found to succeed. To obtain
the highest yield Of large calices, the seeds
oVO ,NloC4oJ -. ,o,tJ... NJ "a