72 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



It is known as G. Delavayi. Around Peking a third species, 

 designated G. horrida, occurs. A much rarer Soap tree, 

 except in the vicinity of Kiukiang, is Gymnocladus chinensis, 

 the " Yu-tsao-chio " of the Chinese, which is the Asiatic repre- 

 sentative of the " Kentucky Coffee tree " of North America. 

 This tree grows 50 or 60 feet tall, and though occasion- 

 ally seen with a fiat, fairly widespreading head, has usually 

 only short branches ; the bark is smooth and light grey, the 

 leaves much divided, often 2 feet across, pea-green in colour, 

 and very handsome. The flowers, clustered, greyish without, 

 purple within, are followed by flattened, brown pods, 3 or 4 

 inches long, and i^ inch broad. These pods or " beans " are 

 immersed for a time in hot water, which causes them to swell 

 and become rounded in outline. Afterwards they are strung on 

 short strips of bamboo and are then marketed. These swollen 

 pods, colloquially " Fei-tsao-tou," are broken up and used in 

 laundry- work, more especially for cleansing choice fabrics. 

 They are also cut up into fine shreds and ground to a paste 

 with sandalwood, cloves, putchuck, musk, camphor, etc., and 

 thoroughly mixed with honey to form a perfumed soap called 

 P'ing-she Fei-tsao (camphor-musk soap). This is a dark- 

 coloured substance of the consistency of soft soap. It is used 

 by women for cleansing their hair, and as a cosmetic for their 

 hands and face ; also by barbers as a salve on the heads of their 

 customers after shaving. 



Yet another Soap tree is Sapindus mukorossi, colloquially 

 known as the " Hou-erh-tsao." This occurs throughout the 

 Yangtsze Valley up to 3000 feet altitude, growing 60 to 80 feet 

 tall, with a huge trunk, smooth grey bark, and widespreading 

 umbrageous head ; the pinnate leaves are 8 to 12 inches long. 

 The flowers are small, greenish-white, produced in large terminal 

 panicles, and are followed by shining brown, globose fruits 

 about the size of a large marble. The fruits are used for wash- 

 ing white clothes, being considered for this purpose superior 

 to the pods of Gleditsia. Each fruit contains a large, round, 

 black seed. These are strung into rosaries and necklaces, which 

 are much worn during hot weather. 



During recent years the demand for vegetable products 

 useful for tanning purposes has become unlimited. For 



