Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-01
ORCHARDS OF CHINA
Many Varieties of Fruit Are
Being Raised.
INVESTIGATION BEING MADE
Agricultural Expert Says the Per-
simmons and Peaches Are
Unusually Fine.
INVESTIGATION BEING MADE

An interesting investigation is being
conducted by the Department of Agricul-
ture in the fruit and nut orchards OF
China. Frank n. Myer is the agricultural
explorer, and one section of his investi-
cation has just oeen published in the
form of a bulletin by the bureau of plant
industry. 1t is probable that as re-
suit of his work there will be some valu-
able varieties of persimmonS and other
fruits introduced into this country.
Mr.. Myer says the Chinese are great
lovers of fruits and cultivate them when
ever there is chance to do SO. From
an American point Of view, however. the
work is remarkable, and the vonder Is
not that the fruit crop is not Isster, but
that there is any crop at all. The chi
nesc never prune their trees. The
branches are allowed to grow small ana
thick. and when they are bent down with
the weight of fruit they are propped up
or tied up with straw ropes.
The Chinese are experts in budding
and grating, but they do not know how
to transplant tree. There are some
very desirable varieties that grow only
in single locality, and the orchard1sts
content themselves with the statement
that these varities will not do we'll
elsewhere. The trouble is a Fundamental
ignorance of the principles of tree Gull
ture. Mr.. Myer says, however, that what
is lacking in the care of the tree is made
up in the careful attention to the SOIL
The Chinese do not know the principles
of spraying. but the trees are scraped Tor
bugs and sometimes the trunks are white
washed.
Persimmons Are Favorites.
Persimmons are favorite fruit. The
ic ohi n
come in many communities. In one small
village in Chill province last autumn the
persimmon crop brought $4,000 Mexican.
While this does not seem a very large
amount as we are accustomed to fig
ures it is quite q sum for one Chinese
village.
Many of the cultivated varieties of per-
simmons are grated on a hardy wild
stock that bears little fruit. but will
stand adverse weather conditions. One
remarkable persimnon was found in the
course Of the exploration that measures
three to five inches in diameter and
sometimes weighs more than pound. IT
is seedless and has no astringent quail
ties, so that it can be eaten hard like an
apple. These trees, as rule, are good
for forty or fifty years, but there are
some exceptional specimens still bearing
vigorously that are more than 100 years
old
The explorer gives curious accounts OF
the way the fruit is frozen and kept over
a winter He says that the Chinese have
been using Il cold storage system of their
own for thousands of years. They take
very heavy stone crooks, place some ice
over the bottom. put the fruit inside IN
baskets and cover it with leaves and
more ice. The whole then is closed with
a wooden cover. Mr.. Myer says it is re-
markable how effective this simple sys-
tenn is. The Chinese are very careful
about harvesting ice, saving ice that is
only half an inch thick. This is stored in
dugout ice houses, where it will keep all
summer
There is a sweet persimmon of which