ASIATIC SOCIETIES, learned associa tions formed for the purpose of collecting and disseminating valuable information respecting the different countries of Asia. The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established 19 March 1823. With it in 1828 was connected a very active translation committee which publishes English, French and Latin translations of Oriental works, oc casionally accompanied with the originals. Similar societies have been formed in Asia itself, such as the Asiatic Society of Bengal at Calcutta, founded in 1784 by Sir William Jones. Since 1846 the Bibliotheca Indica,— a series of Oriental works in text and trans lation,— has been published under the super vision of this society at the expense of the Anglo-Indian government. There are similar societies on the Continent and in America, such as the Societe Asiatique at Paris, fOund ed in 1822, the Oriental Society of Germany (Deutsche Morgenlandische Gesellschaft), founded in 1845, and the American Oriental Society, organized 7 Sept. 1842, and which in
1915 had a membership of 304.
ASIMINA, Papaw, a genus of nine species of shrubs or small trees of the family Anonacete, eight of which are natives of eastern North America, the West Indies and Mexico, with attractive foliage and large purple or whitish axillary flowers appearing in early spring, and large edible fruits. Two species are cultivated for ornament and deserve more atten tion at the hands of horticulturists. One of these, A. triloba, which has produced some va rieties, is the only arborescent species of the genus. It is hardy as far north as Massa chusetts and produces very large-seeded fruits, often more than three inches long and too highly aromatic to suit all palates. The other species A. grandiflora, is found in Georgia and Florida and is said to produce delicious fruits.