VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 21 



'resemblance between the trees and shrubs of the former order 

 and the Rtitacccs xanthoxylecs ; so it is not surprising that the 

 Chinese should have classed these together. Several species 

 of both genera yield timber of various qualities, but the 

 red, fine-grained, mahogany-like wood of the Cedrela is 

 far superior to the coarse, white, open timber of the 

 Ailanthus^ much used as fuel. Other species of trees, similar 

 in general appearance to the Ch'u i\%\ and having leaves 

 giving off odor, are classed in the Phitsao with this ; an 

 effort being made to distinguish the different kinds by the 

 odor. Reason for this may be found in the fact that the 

 Ch'un (|§) has fragrant leaves that can be eaten, and is there- 

 fore sometimes called Hsiang-ch'un (:§; ;].^), while the Ch'u 

 '^%) has leaves with an offensive smell, and therefore not used 

 as food. The leaves of the Ailanthus are large pinnate, from 

 one to two feet long, and are very similar to those of the 

 Cedrela^ both of which trees grow in profusion in the neigh- 

 borhood of Peking. On close examination, however, the leaves 

 of the former are easily distinguished by the two little glands 

 near the basis of each leaflet, to which the species name 

 '■'' glandulosa " refers. The Ailanthus grows very easily and 

 rapidly, and its wood is used only for fuel. In the phrase 

 \%^ i.'^ it becomes, classed with the scrub oak, a figure of 

 speech for "uselessness." The leaves are used to feed silk- 

 worms, and in times of scarcity are eaten as a vegetable, 

 though, on account of their offensive odor, not from choice. 

 They are said to be very slightly poisonous, and are used as 

 astringent, anthelmintic, and deobstruent remedies. They are 

 given in diseases of the lungs, dysuria, menstrual diseases, the 

 kan (^) disease of children, spermatorrhoea and fluxes in 

 general, and a wash is made to promote the growth of the 

 hair and to wash parasitic ulcers and eruptions. In most of 

 the cases, the bark both of the tree and of the root is used, 

 having precisely the same properties. The name Ch'u-p'i 

 (1# i^)) o^ ^s in the Customs Lists Shu-pai-p'i {\% H j^), 1168, 

 should be confined to the bark of the Ailanthus ; while 

 Ch'un-p'i (;ji ^), or Hsiang-ch'un-p'i (f: # i^', 275, 415, 

 is more correctly applied to that of the Cedrela. See Cedrela 

 sinensis^ 



