THE STORY OF THE GINKGO 



or Japan, though, of course, the climate there was 

 very considerably modified by its influence. The 

 glaciation of North America, Greenland, Europe, 

 and western Siberia probably caused the extinction 

 of the Ginkgo in those lands, whereas in the Orient, 

 thanks to the milder climate that obtained, it 

 survived. But be the explanation what it may, the 

 record of the rocks demonstrates both the antiquity 

 and wide geographical range of the Ginkgo-tree down 

 to the Tertiary glacial epoch. To-day, the Ginkgo, 

 statements to the contrary notwithstanding, no 

 longer exists in a wild state, and there is no authentic 

 record of its having ever been seen growing spontane- 

 ously. Travellers of repute of many nationalities 

 have searched for it far and wide in Japan, Korea, 

 Manchuria, and China but none has succeeded in 

 solving the secret of its home. Once or twice the 

 statement has been made that it "was seen wild" in 

 northern Japan, in western oreastern China, or in Korea, 

 but subsequent visits by those competent to judge 

 have shown the authors of such statements at fault 

 in their identification of the tree, or misled and 

 hasty in their findings. It is known in Japan, Korea, 

 southern Manchuria, and in China proper as a planted 

 tree only, and usually in association with religious 

 buildings, palaces, tombs, and old historical or geo- 

 mantic sites. Whilst excessive cold may reasonably 

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