Evening star., 1928-06-17
PLANTS FROM TROPICAL ISLES
BROUGHT TOU.S.BY EXPLORERS
P. H. Dorset and Son Gather Thousands of
Bulbs, Tubers, Seeds and Cuttings Be-
lieved Adaptable to Agriculture

ters. They we're thus enabled TO travel
from station TO station, making stops
of a week or more TO travel on foot
into the interior
While the four major cultivated
crops were sought in particular, the
explorers were on the. lookout for
other plants, especially fruits, nuts.
trees and ornamentals, that might
have value in extending our crops far
ther north. On their return trip the
Dorsetts came by way of Peking and
brought with them collection Of 100
Chinese fruits and nuts from the re-
ern hills some so miles or so TO the
northeast of Pcking.
Among the newer species of plant life
collected worth special mention Is a
certain wild apricot found growing on
the rocky Manchurian mountainsides
otherwise barren of vegetation, except
for q few weeds and a little grass. The
fruit Is very small. dry and mostly seed
The tree is so hardy, however, that II
may possibly have use In developing
an apricot for regions farther north
than the apricot now fruits. Since 1t
grows but 4 or 5 feet high 1t has posi-
bilities as dwarfing stock for orchard
lists In the growing OF other CONNER
cial fruit crops In the Northwest. They
also found wild grape that grows
rank all over the mountains, where 1t
Is heavy yielder and is used largely
for clarct. Its hardness makes 1t OF
potential value for the breeding of
hardy table grape for our more North
ern section where grapes are not now
being grown. Years of testing and
breeding may be required, however. be.
fore these introductions are available
70. the public.
Wild Grapefruit from Jungle.
/ A wild grapefruit, unlike anything
ever before brought 10 the United
States, very bitter and of practically
no use as II grows at present, was
located on the trip through the trop-
ical jungle OF North Sumatra. II may
be valuable for citrus growers In breed
ing work. Propagating material Of
numerous bamboo varieties was collect
ed to reinforce the coming bamboo in
dustry In our Southern States.
The King coconut. the bcft milk CO.
conut In Ceylon, also was made a part
OF the collection. It grows into q beau-
tiful palm and may be useful here for
milk or as an ornament The hull OF
the fruit " OF rich golden yellow
color.
A unique feature OF a fruit industry
noted by the Dorsetts was that of VIM
ter storage. In the open, OF the per-
simmon in North China. There they
saw the unusual SIGHT OF fruit stored
out OF doors In climate OF SHOWS and
Ice and unprotected except for light
covering of straw mats which, later In
the season, Is supplemented by an ad-
dition OF a light covering Of loose hay,
straw or litter. cornatalks, etc. Each
fruit averaged about inches in diam
eter. They were corded UP In beds II
feet by 10 or 20 feet In length and TO a
depth Of feet.
Hundreds Of beds In sight.
Hundreds OF beds we're in sight along
the terraced river banks, In orchards
along the rivers and on the grayeily
river beds. The open-air storage of
such an important and valuable fruit
crop, so unusual and interesting, Is
made possible on account OF the COM
paratively dry Winter with quite
even cold temperature and the addi-
ti0nal fact that the persimmon Is a
ffult which is not only benefited by
frost. but Is not injured, by freezing.
The practice ia perhaps without par
aliel elsewhere In the world. The per-
ainm0n already has been established
In California, Florida aud other places
IN the South by introductions from
japan and China made years ago, but
there is possibility OF extending Its
culture through the use Of new intro
ducti0ns, and especially In finding and
introducing stocks for the commercial
varieties which are best suited 10 our
regional soil and climatic conditions.