LIbKAKT 

 NEW YORK 

 BOTANICAL 



UAkDEN 



INVENTORY OF SEEDS AND PLANTS IMI'dl! ri;i) l!V 

 THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN SEED AND I'LANT IN- 

 TRODUCTION DURINC THE PEIIIOD Fl!(i.\l .11 l,V 

 1 TO SEPTEMBER :!(), 19'^'> (NO. Vi- NOS. :,r,:,m TO 



55813). 



INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 



The Chinese. Province of Yunnan has in the paj;t yielded many 

 interesting ornamental plants to European collectors, but this in- 

 ventory records the first time that an agricultural explorer from 

 the Department of Agriculture has penetrated its mountain slopes 

 and vast plains, where a climate similar to that of our Atlantic sea- 

 board prevails. 



While no such severe weather as that of the Dakotas ever visits 

 this back country of China, it is a land of heavy frosts, and plant< 

 from its plains maj^ be expected to do well in many parts of our 

 Eastern States, while those from its wetter mountain slopes will 

 doubtless find a congenial home in the Puget Sound region. 



The plants which appear in this inventory represent a small frac- 

 tion only of the great collections which the department's explorer. 

 J. F. Eock, has gathered under conditions of living and travel 

 which would daunt any but the real enthusiast. His travels have 

 taken him over hundreds of miles of almost impassable mountain 

 trails and roads through regions where Chinese bandits abound and 

 have necessitated a constant association month after month with 

 people who neither understand what he is doing nor care regarding 

 his fate. 



From the Likiang Snow Range, at an altitude of 11,000 feet, Mr. 

 Rock sent six rare lilies, one of them L ilium, s^itchii^twn^^e (No. 

 55609). and five others as yet undetermined (Xos. 5.1010. 557.30. and 

 55778 to 55780). From Likiang he forwarded seeds of a white- 

 flowered ornamental bush {Prinsepia ntilis ; No. 55719). a fine climb- 

 ing rose (No. 55721), and a wild species or cherry (No. 55720) that 

 grows to 50 feet in height which he suggests may be used as a stock 

 for the cultivated cherries. At Nguluke, in the Likiang Valley, 

 8,000 feet above sea level. Mr. Rock found a small, sour, red-fruited 

 apricot {Primus armeniaca; No. 55729) of deliciously fragrant 

 aroma, which is used there for stewing and jam making, and in the 

 foothills of Talifu he obtained seeds of the rare cherry {P. nuijestica; 

 No. 55732) which gi-ows into large trees and has a vigor suggesting 

 its use as a stock or as an ornamental flowering tree. Seeds from 

 large freestone peaches {Aniygdolu.^jiirsira; Nos. .'>5775 and .">.''»77<>) 

 borne by trees gi'owing wild near Puerhfu and seeds of a large- 

 fruited plum {Primus sp. ; No. 55783) froni the same region are part 

 of his shipments which have recently arrived. 



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