The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-02-04
China IMPORTS
MANY PLANTS
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
EXPLORER RETURNS
FROM EXPEDITION.
BRINGS A NEW PEACH
Resistent to Cold and Drouth-AIso
Bring "Jujube" for The
Southwest.

Washington, Jan. 3O.-The third
expedition into China to discover
new plants suitable for introduction
into the United States has been COM
pleted by F. N. Meyer. plant explor-
er of the Department of Agriculture,
who has Just returned to Washing
ton after three-year trip in the Far
East. As a result of this expedition
through the center of China. the two
previous explorations of similar dur
alton covering extremely cold Man
churian regions and the arid regions
of Chinese Turkestan, there have been
sent to America for planting and test
ing for commercial adaptability
seeds, roots or cuttings of some 81
900 food and forage plants, flowers.
ornamental shrubs and vines, shade
and timber trees. The previous ex-
petitions brought to America speci-
mems of many cold-resistant and dry
land grains, sorghums, soy beans, al
falfas and forage plants and also GER
tain semi-tropical plants, such as the
bamboo, which are now under ex-
Fermentation to determine their use
fulness for the extreme South.
OF many specimens forwarded to
this country during the last expedi-
ton, the specialists regard as most
significant the jujube, fruit new to
this country, which may be suitable
for use in the Southwest; wild
peach resistant to alkali. cold and
drouth, the root system of which Of
fers great possibilities as grating
host; certain Chinese persimmons
larger than any hitherto known in
this country; a number of Aquatic
food roots and vegetables which Of
fer promising possibilities for the
utilization of swamp land; some thir-
ty varities of vegetable and timber
bamboos. and a number of Chinese
vegetables, bush and climber roses,
shrubs and trees. -
The first or experimental explora-
ton for new plants in China in 1905
was undertaken by the department
because the wide range of climate.
rainfall, elevation and soil conditions
in that immense country gave prom
Use that the Chinese, who had been
farming successfully in some sec
tions for about 1000 years. might
have found solutions for special diff
culties which confronted American
farmers in regions of excessive cold,
or drouth, or alkaline or swampy
soils.
The investigation quickly found
that China also offered particular
ly fertile field for plant introduction
work because for many centuries the
Chinese farmers, in crude way,
had been selecting seeds and develop
ing improved varities now ready for
commercial use in the United States.
In many cases all that is needed is
to bring the seed or plant to this
country and use it. although in other
cases, inasmuch as Chinese methods
rarely produce pure strains, some
further seed orsplant selection is ne
cessary to obtain constant varieties.
To lovers of flowers the new Chi
nese rose known as the rosa xanthina
should be of special interest, parti-
cularly in view of the fact that there
is at present great demand for
yellow roses. This bush has small,
light yellow flowers, but its great
quality is its hardness, which will
enable II to flourish In the North ev-
en- as far as Canada. The chief prom
Use of this rose. however. lies in the
fact that II will in all probability
lead to the production of new hardy
types of yellow roses adapted to cul-
tivation in Kentucky and other gar
den" States. It may produce varie-
ties which will not drop their leaves
like Persian yellow roses do and
yield varieties with larger and more
snowy flowers. In addition the ex-
plorers found a number Of new ram
blers, which. II locally successful,
will, 1t is said. meet a demand for a
climbing rose with a flower differ
ing in shade from the crimson and
pink flowers Of the well-known ram
bier varieties.