THE MORE IMPORTANT PLANT PRODUCTS 87 



japonica), a common and widely dispersed tree. Another, 

 but much more rare tree {Kcelreuteria apiculata) , is known by 

 the same colloquial name, and the flowers are used for the same 

 purpose as those of the Sophora. The fruit of Gardenia 

 florida, " Chih-tzu-hwa," is used for dyeing certain woods 

 yellow, and also as a yellow colour in paint. 



Green dyes were formerly obtained from the leaves of 

 Rhamnus davuricus, known as the " Tung-lu," a very common 

 Chinese species of Buckthorn, extremely variable in the size 

 and shape of its leaves and abundant as a thorny bush by 

 the wayside everywhere up to 4000 feet altitude. Another 

 species [Rhamnus tindonus), " Chiao-lu-tsze," was also em- 

 ployed for the same purpose. These have been almost 

 totally displaced by aniline dyes. 



As mentioned on page 73, the gall-nuts (Wu-pei-tzu) pro- 

 duced on the leaves of Rhus javanica are extensively employed 

 for dyeing fabrics — more especially silk — black. With this dye 

 it is essential that the material be first dyed blue. The burr-like 

 cupules of two very common species of Oak (Quercus serrata, 

 Q. variabilis), known as the " Hwa-li " and " Hwa-k'o-li " 

 respectively, are also commonly employed as black dye for 

 silk-yarn and fabrics. In this case it is immaterial what the 

 original colour may be. The curious cone-like fruits of 

 Platycarya strohilacea, colloquially known as the " Huan- 

 hsiang shu," are in general use as a black dye for cotton-yarn 

 and cotton goods generally. Pine soot, obtained by burning 

 the branches of the Common Pine [Pinus Massoniana), is also 

 employed as a black dye for cotton goods. 



As a dark brown dye and tanning agent the tubers of a 

 yam are commonly used in Yunnan and are exported in 

 quantity to Tonking and elsewhere. It is probably Dioscorea 

 rhipogonioides, a species common in Formosa, where it is called 

 " Shu-lang " and much used for dyeing and tanning fish-nets. 

 In western Hupeh the root-bark of Rosa BanksicB, called 

 " Hu-p'i," is used for this purpose. 



Both sesamum and soy bean are cultivated extensively 

 in Western China, but for local consumption only. The large 

 exports of these products that pass through Hankow are 

 brought down by the Peking-Hankow railway. Szechuan is 



