862 



Amygdalus sp. (Amygdalaceae. ) 40001-40005. Seeds of 

 wild peaches from Shensi and Kansu, China. 40001. "Wild 

 peaches having larger fruits than the ordinary wild ones, 

 said to come from near Tze Wu, to the south of Sianfu, but 

 some also probably collected from trees in gardens which 

 were raised from wild seeds. When seen wild this peach 

 generally assumes a low bush form of spreading habit; when 

 planted in gardens and attended to, it grows up into a 

 small tree, reaching a height of 12 to 20 feet, with a 

 smooth trunk of dark mahogany- brown color. The leaves are 

 always much smaller and more slender than in cultivated 

 varieties, while their color is much darker green. They 

 seem to be somewhat less subject to various diseases than 

 the cultivated sorts and they are most prolific bearers, 

 although the fruit is of very little value on account of 

 its smallness and lack of flavor. In gardens around Sianfu 

 this wild peach is utilized as a stock for improved vari- 

 eties. It is also grown as an ornamental; said to be 

 literally covered in spring with multitudes of shell-pink 

 flowers." 40002. "Wild peaches, occurring In the foothills 

 of the higher mountains at Tsing Ling Kang, Shensi, at al- 

 titudes from 2000 to 5000 feet, generally found at the 

 edges of loess cliffs and on rocky slopes. There is a 

 great deal of variation to be observed as regards size and 

 shape of leaves, density of foliage and general habits." 

 40003. "Wild peaches found on a mountain side, near Pal 

 dja dien, Shensi, at an elevation of 4000 feet; these 

 small trees and bushes had borne such a heavy crop that 

 the ground beneath them was covered with a layer, a few 

 inches thick, of the small, yellowish, hairy fruits. The 

 local inhabitants didn't consider them worth collecting 

 even, and they were rotting and drying up." 40004. "Wild 

 peaches occurring as tall shrubs in loess cliffs, at the 

 Tibetan frontier, Kagoba, Kansu, at elevations of 6000- 

 8000 feet. Save for some children who eat these wild 

 peaches, they are otherwise considered worthless wild 

 fruit. Local name Yeh t'ao, meaning 'wild peach, ' and 

 Mao t*ao, meaning 'hairy peach.'" 40005. "Wild peaches 

 found on stony mountain slopes in a wild, very sparsely 

 populated country, near Kwa tsa, on Siku River, Kansu. 

 No fruit trees whatsoever are cultivated by the local 

 settlers in the mountains, and the way some o these peach 

 bushes grow excludes them from ever having been brought 

 there by any man or even any quadruped; only birds might 

 have transported them." (Meyer's introductions.) 



Castanea spp . (Fagaceae.) 40035-036. Seeds of chestnuts 

 from Hui hslen, and Cheng hsien, Kansu, China. "A species 



