Chap. XX. BY SEMI-CIVILISED PEOPLE. 189 



*' for instance, are fit for use, he takes ten or twelve that he 

 " most approves, and plants them at least 100 yards from 

 " others that blossom at the same time. In the same manner 

 " he treats all his other plants, varying the circumstances 

 *' according to their nature." *^ 



In the great work on China published in the last century 

 by the Jesuits, and which is chiefly compiled from ancient 

 Chinese encyclopaedias, it is said that with sheep " improving 

 *' the breed consists in choosing with particular care the 

 " lambs which are destined for propagation, in nourishing 

 *' them well, and in keeping the flocks separate." The same 

 princij)les were applied by the Chinese to various plants and 

 fruit-trees.^^ An imperial edict recommends the choice of 

 seed of remarkable size ; and selection was practised even 

 by imperial hands, for it is said that the Ya-mi, or imperial 

 rice, was noticed at an ancient jDcriod in a field by the Em- 

 peror Khang-hi, Tvas saved and cultivated in his garden, and 

 has since become valuable from being the only kind which 

 will grow north of the Great Wall."^^ Even with flowers, 

 the tree pseony (P. moutan) has been cultivated, according to 

 Chinese traditions, for 1400 years; between 200 and 300 

 varieties have been raised, w^hich are cherished like tulips 

 formerly were by the Dutch.^^ 



Turning now to semi-civilised people and to savages : it 

 occurred to me, from what I had seen of several parts of South 

 America, where fences do not exist, and where the animals are 

 of little value, that there would be absolutely no care in 

 breeding or selecting them ; and this to a large extent is 

 true. Eoulin,^^ however, describes in Columbia a naked race 

 of cattle, w^hich are not allowed to increase, on account of 

 their delicate constitution. According to Azara ^- horses are 

 often born in Paraguay with curly hair ; but, as the natives 



*^ * Communications to Board of to Khang-hi, sec Hue's ' Chinese Em- 

 Agriculture,' quoted in Dr. Darwin's pire,' p. 311. 

 Phytologia,' 1800, p. 451. *' Anderson, in 'Linn. Transact.,' 



** ' Memoire sur les Chinois,' 1786, vol. sii. p. 253. 



tom. xi. p. 55; torn. v. p. 507. ^' 'Mem. de I'Acad.' (divers -sa- 



*^ 'Recherches sur I'Agriculture vants), tom. vi., 1835, p. 333. 



des Chinois,' par L. D'Hervey Saint- " ' Des Quadrupedes du Paraguay,' 



Denys, 1850, p. 229. With respect 1801, tom. ii. pp. 333, 371. 



