40 ON THE SO-CALLED " OLIVES OF SOUTHERN CHINA, 



For tlie following notice of these trees, extracted and translated from a 

 description of the ' Memorabilia of Kwangtniig,' published in 1801, I am 

 indebted to my friend Mr. W. F. Mayers, H.M.'s Acting Consul for 

 Clie-foo. 



" The Yi'ieh Chung Kieti Wm states as follows : — Of the Lan there are 

 two species, the black and the white. Of both the tree grows high and 

 perfectly straight, usually with the trunk quite devoid of branches except 

 at the summit, where it throws out its crown. There are male and female 

 [trees], tiie male having flowers [only] and the feuiale fruit. The males 

 are properly called Lnug-knng (/'. e. male or ' sir,' Cauarium), and do not 

 produce fruit, but if brought in contact with the female the fruit forms. 

 The fruit resembles that of the Tsao (Jujube, or Chinese Date), about an 

 inch or more in length, and is devoid of angles. The earliest growth 

 hangs downward, those grown later point upwards. The fruit is ripe in 

 the eighth or ninth month, when the cultivators mount the tree by means 

 of ladders, and knock the fruit down with sticks. Another Avay is to 

 make an incision of about an inch [in width] in the trunk, on its east side, 

 and to rub in some coarse salt, which causes the fruit on the east side to 

 fall down spontaneously ; and similarly on the three remaining sides of 

 the tree. The white Lan, if not eaten until after the Pe/i Lu period (8th 

 September), does not cause sickness. Its qualities are heating. When 

 eaten, the tapering points at either end should be removed. On first 

 being chewt d, the flavour is hitter and astringent, but after a time the 

 flavour develops itself and turns sweet. The colour is white. When 

 boiled in water at a high temperature the colour changes to a pale green, 

 and its fragrance becomes as that of the Lan {Epidetidruvi ?), so that it 

 sweetens the breath. Of the black Lan, the fruit is larger, and the flesh 

 has greater substance. Its qualities are mild, aiul its flavour astringent, 

 wiih a slightly sweet taste. It should be boiled in tepid water, until it 

 becomes soft and the purple skin puft's out, when it is fit to eat. If the 

 water be cold, it will emit a gummy exudation ; and if too hot, the flesh 

 will harden, so that it is important to use tepid water only. In the southern 

 portion of the Pwau-yli district the black Lan is largely grown, and the 

 fruit, after being deprived of its stone, is cooked and preserved with 

 brine as an article of merchandise, which has a sale far and near." 



The stones of some species of Canariiun are beautifully and elaborately 

 carved by the Chinese ; and, when set in gold, or separated by gold 

 filigree beads, form exceedingly handsome brooches or bracelets. These 

 are popularly supposed by foreigners, and even by many Chinese, to be 

 cut out of peach-stones ; though a very cursory inspection will show that 

 this is a fallacy. Amoy is renowned for this kind of work, and, so highly 

 is it esteemed, that some beads I purchased on the spot, to have made 

 into a bracelet, cost me a dollar (4s. '6cl.) each ; a very large sum, when 

 the slight remuneration in China for skilled labour and the cost of native 

 living are borne in mind. These stones, so far as I can judge from the 

 sculptured specimens, seem too large to be the produce of Canariiim 

 Pimela. They may either belong to a distinct species, or to one of those 

 alluded to by Mr. Hanbiuy, respecting all of which I may, perhaps, here- 

 after succeed in gaininsj; some reliable information. 



