28 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



end of April. The Cherry cultivated around Ichang is P. 

 involucrata. The species from which the European cherries 

 have been derived {P. avium and P. Cerasus) are not 

 found in China. 



The Pear, "Li-tzu," is very generally cultivated and is 

 especially abundant throughout the upper reaches of the river- 

 valleys in the west. It is also common in the higher parts 

 of the glens which lead off from the gorges in western Hupeh. 

 Several kinds are grown, and in some instances the fruit 

 attains a very large size. Usually these pears are as hard as 

 rock, and though very useful for cooking purposes are of little 

 value for dessert. Propagation by crown-grafting is commonly 

 practised, but little attention is given to the trees afterwards. 

 All the varieties of Chinese pears have been evolved by long 

 cultivation from native species (probably Pyrus sinensis, 

 P. ussuriensis, and another species not yet authentically named, 

 but known in China as the " Tang-li "), and have not common 

 origin with those cultivated in the Occident which have been 

 derived from P. communis. Around Peking the Chinese 

 cultivate a peculiar kind of Pear under the name of " Peh-li- 

 tzu " (WTiite Pear). The fruit is apple-shaped, about if 

 inches in diameter, pale yellow in colour, and of most delicious 

 flavour. This pear is probably a superior variety of Pyrus 

 ussuriensis. 



Apples are much more sparingly cultivated than pears, 

 with which they are grown in association. They are more 

 frequent around Sungpan Ting and Tachienlu than in Hupeh. 

 The fruit is small, green, or greenish-yellow on one side and rosy 

 on the other in the best variety, with an agreeable bitter-sweet 

 flavour. It is uncertain as to what species these apples belong, 

 but possibly to Malus spectabilis, M. pruni/olia 



The Quince, " Mu-kua," is commonly cultivated in central 

 China, but less so in the west. The fruits are oiled and kept 

 as ornaments in houses, being appreciated for the fragrant 

 odour. They are also used as medicine. Two species occur — 

 Chaenomeles sinensis with nearly round leaves and dark red 

 flowers and C. cathayensis with elongated leaves and white 

 flowers, flushed pink. Closely allied to the quince is Docynia 

 Delavayi, which is very abundant in Yunnan, where the fresh 



