Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-21
PLANT EXPLORATION IN CHINA
BY FNIsDEn1C i. uAskIx

/ WASHINGTON. D. c.. April 2o.-one
or the latest acquisitions to American
fruit growing iH the juJube. This tree
discovered in the interior of China by
| Frank n. Meyer. plant explorer OF tn.
Department OF Agriculture, is now be-
| Ing watched with a great deal OF in
tereht by sctentists In it's new career
on American soil. So far. tho results
arc distinctly satisfactory. and the lat
est reports seem to Indicate that II
Will not be long before we are eating
tu1ube salad and preserved tuJubc as
| matter Of course. Tho jujube fruit
is small brownish morsel which
when fresh. has unique and delicious
haVor' and when dried is somewha
similar to the Persian date.
Resides the jujube Mr. Meyer brought
back from China many other singular
specimens which will probably provo
valuable TO thiH country, including a
Wild peach, various marsh Vegetables
species OF bamboo sprouts and garden
vegetables. huge persimmons and a now
yellow rose. These arc already under
experimentation by the department,
which is grating the roots Of the peach
tree crossing the rose with other spc-
cies, and planting the various seeds
and Scions.
China was chosen as tho hunting
grounds OF plant exploration because
us climatic conditions arc similar to
those or this country. some portions,
corresponding with our eastern coast
ana others with the semi-arid regions
or our Southwest. Consequently. in
some places the fora is 80 like that
seen IN this country that at times IL
was difficult for MIR. Meyer to believe
nc was In China and not In New Jersey
or Indiana.
Through Primitive Country.
MT. MeEnr aud his outfit Travelled by
caravan and on foot through tho vast
sections OF China where railroads arc
hot' Visiting All the small agricultural
villages aud also individual farms The
Chinese farmer who, BY experimental
''oh' mas produced 4 superior variety
or some fruit or vegetable Is extremely
10th TO advertise the fact 10 any I'm,
ms nearest relatives. so that sometimes
an extraordinary species grown on ono
iarm viii be absolutely unknown a few
miles away. Moreover. ne has n s,ror.
antipathy to using any OF the modern
methods employed for the preservation
OF plant, such as spraying and treat
ment for specific diseases, for sucb
th'nsA were unknown To his ancestors.
ana therefore could have no noseihin
merit In his eyes. Hence many sncinnt
varieties at one time prolific through
out China have either become eSlfnc,
VI may De discovered growing on oc
casional remote farms. One variety OF
peach' Tor example, which formerly.
gre" IN great abundance around
, shai' has completely died out.
Many OF these almost extinct vario,tns
may be restored 10 usefulness nv was,0
ern methods
me collection Of plant material in
interior China is not without its dir-
~ perhaps the greatest Of which
Is the packing and the exDortjpp or
'te proouct. Scions and cuttinga must
49,. oe corrected IN the severe winter
weather and packed in damn moss
Immediately after they are cut In
nolstening the moss. Mr. Never ortcn
iouhd IT necessary to heat the water
In order TO prevent it from freez,nr
ana even SO, the next hour would some.
LILIES SEQ the package frozen hard
Modern Innovation. Opposed.
In North China there is also a preiu-
dice against all modern innovations NOT
In vogue with the ancestors. whose
lineage evidently begins with tho oriri
nal Chinese cave man, for the inns are
even without stoves. The windows.
which are made OF paper, are usually
broken, admitting icy breezes and Gre
at'ns an atmosphere even colder than
the outdoors Mr.. Meyer WAS COM
PEELED to carry these frozen parcels OF
sometimes for weeks before he reached
!. nost-off1ee that would forward them
direct TO the department at Washing
ton, or to the CONSUL general at Shang-
hal.
Growing In the semiarid sections OF
CHINA, generally neglected and in soil
or alkaline substance, Mr.. Meyer found
the jujube tree He Immediately be-
thought him of tho semiard regions of
the American Southwest, and packed
some juJubes off to the department,
which planted them in California and
Texas. The jujube, in It's wild state,
grows in the waste places and Sprawls
over ancient walls in Northern China.
producing small, hard, sour fruit
which is not fit for Use. BY crossing
the various species. OF which there are
nearly 400, the Chinese farmers have
produced fruit that is sweet and
luscious. highly priced by the man
darlns for New Years d. nsents and
by the keepers of hotels catering TO
the European trade. The jujube tree
is now bearing heavy crops in Fresno
Chico. Indio and Bard. Cal, anc in
Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio
Tex. Years ago quantity of jujuhes
were distributed throughout the South
ern Atlantic States. but, being seed
lings. these trees did not produce good
fruit.
HrOW fcrSimmOnS Tor Drying.
The Chinese are now growing a large
variety OF persimmons, unknown in
this country, for drying purposes Tho
fruit Is picked just AS II ripens and
before II has had a chance to become
mushy and soft. IT Is then peeled and
slashed and strung mp on lines to dry
In tho sun and wind. when II has
been thus suspended for several weeks,
1t is distributed in piles and covered
with mating. when tho curing nrOcea
begins, forming an outer layer Of