Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-30

in many parts of China. where il bears
nuts identical with those produced by
the English walnut tree.
But it is not alone among fruits. nuts
and seeds that Mr.. Meyers explorations
have resulted in surprising discov
cries: his Investigations have shown
that China is the original home of the
Wistaria, hitherto believed to be a
tive of Japan. China is likewise the
ancestral home of the chrysa mt hemum,
also thought to be indigenous to Japan,
and China is also the habitat Of the
peony. of an endless variety of prim
ulas and other Towering plants. West
ern ranchers. whose prosperity depends
in large measure on alfalfa, know in
vague way that the plant came origi-
nally from part of China. though few
of them know that a Chinese writer,
who lived in the year 100 AID. re-
ferred to the plant and gave a de-
scription of it that is readily recogniZ
BILE at this day. The same writer also
described the watermelon, the grape,
the pomegranate and other plants and
fruits, which, from this ancient record.
are known to have been grown in
China nearly 1000 years ago.
A new variety of persimmon, hitherto
unknown to botanists of the western
world. is discovery of Mr.. Meyers
that may prove of considerable eco
nomic value. This persimmon has been
called the ''grindstone." because of its
great size. 1t appears to lack the
astringent qualities of native American
persimmons. and frost is not necessary
to turn ii from lump of puckery pulp
into globe of semi-solid honey. This
variety, threaded on long strings and
dried in the sunshine, is the one most
favored by the vendors of dried fruits.
Transplanted to our own southern
states, the grindstone persimmon may
be developed into a commercial propo-
sition. The fruit being more solid
than Japanese persimmons. especially
after the latter have been pro cessed"
to rid them of the tannin that causes
the puckeriness, is expected to prove
better keeping variety and better suit
ed to shipping.
Mr. Meyer also discovered a peculiar
variety of the jujube-the fruit of
which is used as a base for the con-
lection known as jujube paste-cal1ed
the "mother-in-law jujube." This tree
grows only in one locality in China, in
a valley in the province of Shansi. near
the border of Shensi. the adjoining
province. 1t is absolutely unknown to
the world, it's expectation has been
forbidden. This new jujube, Mr.. Meyer
Arabian date. One variety produces
fruit as large as an egg; and the Chi
nese. in addition to drying the fruits,
make them into delicious preserve.
Mr.. Meyer believes the trees will thrive
in many parts of Texas, Arizona and
California.
OF interest to housekeepers is a new
cabbage found by Mr.. Meyer in north
China, where the gardeners cultivate
it to the exclusion of other varieties.
The peculiar feature Of this new cab
bage is that it has no odor while cook
ing 1t is also finer in texture and
flavor. than ordinary .cabbages in addi-
tion to the popularity of not announc-
ing to callers at the front door the fact
that it is being cooked in the kitchen.
Aside from the hardships attendant on
exploration of the untrodden places of
the earth. Mr.. Meyer. who is known as
perhaps the foremost agricultural eX-
plorer in the world. declares that he
has been in personal danger only once