34 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



39897 to 39924— Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. F. X. Meyer.) 



sharp sour taste; contains plenty of large seeds. These sour mandarin 

 fruits make a very pleasing 'ade cut up, rind and all, in a tumbler of 

 water with some sugar added. They als; taste well when cut up in slices 

 in hot tea, while a few pieces of rind added to a soup or stew give a 

 novel and agreeable flavor. 



"The trees are of thrifty growth, making large heads of dark-green 

 foliage; they are prolific bearers, apparently; young shoots armed with 

 large spines. They are not grafted or budded, but propagated from seeds 

 only. This citrus is found at altitudes of 2,000 to 1,500 feet, and where 

 they grow one finds the following trees cultivated: Diospyros Jealci; Ficus 

 carica; Punica granatum; Juglans regia; Pyrus sinensis; Moms alba; 

 Hovenia fluids; lAgnstrum lucidum; Trachycarpus excelsus; and PhyUo- 

 stachys sp. Of value, possibly, as a tree for the home garden in sections 

 north of the citrus belt proper." 



For an illustration of this interesting fruit, see Plate III. 



39898. Amygdalus tangutica (Bat.) Korsh. Amygdalacese. Almond. 

 (Primus tangutica Koehne.) 



"(No. 1222. Village of Lantsai (near Hsiku), Kansu, China. October 

 28, 1914.) A bush almond found in rocks and cliffs along the right 

 bank of the Hsiku River, collected at an altitude of 4,200 feet. Shrubs 

 from 4 to 10 feet high, in sheltered places reaching even a height of 20 to 

 25 feet: densely branched, branches often zigzag running and ending in 

 spines. Foliage small and of a glaucous green color. Fruits very variable 

 in size, looks, and shape; skin downy and thin; stones ranging in size 

 from that of a cherry stone up to a good-sized apricot stone, of many 

 forms, some round and quite smooth, others pointed or heart shaped and 

 grooved like peach stones, shells moderately thin, kernels small on the 

 average and quite bitter ; they are. however, eagerly collected by ground 

 squirrels. Here and there local Chinese also collect them and exp 

 a clear oil from the kernels for culinary purposes. These kernels are 

 also sparingly eaten after having been boiled first, so as to remove part 

 of the bitter flavor. 



" This Tangutian almond occurs in many places in the Province of 

 Kansu. growing at altitudes of 4,000 to 10,000 feet. They are able to 

 withstand a great degree of drought, cold, and dry heat. It is recom- 

 mended as a factor in certain hybridization experiments, trying to create 

 hardy bush almonds. As a stock for almonds it might he tested, but since 

 it throws up many shoots from the base it may not have any commercial 

 value. As a hedge plant for dry regions it also possesses value, while as 

 an ornamental spring-flowering shrub it possibly could be employed in 

 gardens and parks in the cooler parts of the semiarid United States. 

 Chinese name Yeh hsiao hsing, meaning 'wild small apricot'; also 

 Mao t'ao, meaning ' hairy peach.' " 



For an illustration of these almonds as grown in China, see Plate IV. 

 39899. Amygdalus persica potanini (Bat.) Kicker. Amygdalacese. 



[Prunus persica potanini Ratal.) Potanin's peach. 



"(No. 1223. From village of Tchutsaitze (near Hsiku), Kansu, 

 China. October 2!». L914.) A wild peach of the davidiana type, but 

 differing from the last in various points. Collected at the base of shel- 

 tered mountains at an altitude of 1,300 feet. A tall shrub or even 

 small tree, up to 30 feet in heighl bark of stem or trunk dark reddish 



