658 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



were sold. This spring's nursery planting is treble that 

 of last year. 



The afforestation work commenced by the Germans at 

 Tsingtao and which is being carried forward by the 

 Japanese is probably the largest piece of forest planting 

 as yet accomplished in China. 



In Chekiang and Kiangsi there is one forestry school 

 each, of middle school grade. In Kiangsu, some forestry 



ANOTHER VIEW OF THE ANCIENT GINGKO 



This gives a good idea of the dignity and beauty of the old tree as it 

 stands in the monastery courtyard, the massive trunk and base of 

 which is shown in an accompanying illustration. 



is taught in the First Provincial Agricultural School 

 (middle school grade). The University of Nanking, 

 through its College of Agriculture and Forestry, offers a 

 college course of five years in fores-try. This latter is the 

 only college-grade forestry school in China, and from its 

 beginning has received support from a number of pro- 

 vincial governments, as well as the Central Government, 

 and the Forestry Fund Committee of Shanghai. 



The above evidences of progress along practical for- 

 estry lines are only those that have come to my notice. 

 There are doubtless others, but these are sufficient to 

 show the increasing interest in this work. The actual 



results, in point of all the work that is waiting to be 

 done are relatively small, but in view of what was being 

 done but five years ago, they show a tremendous progress 

 both in interest and actual work accomplished. 



"As of possible interest to your readers," writes Forsy- 

 the Sherfessee, Forestry Adviser to the Chinese Govern- 

 ment, from Peking, China, "I enclose four photographs, 

 two each of rather remarkable specimens of Ginku biloba, 

 and of Pimts bungeana. The Gingko is well known 

 abroad, where it has been successfully introduced. Its 

 special interest is not only in the rare beauty, form and 

 delicacy of its foliage (whence its name in English of 

 "maidenhair tree"), but also in its remote geological 

 antiquity. You are familiar, of course, with the success- 

 ful use which has been made of it in Washington for 

 street and park planting. It survives naturally only in 

 the Far East and even here (with one possible exception, 

 reported by Meyer) is confined to graves, temple grounds 

 and gardens. The Chinese name, Pai-kuo shu ("white 

 fruited tree") is derived from the appearance of its fruit, 

 the kernel of which is said to have medicinal value and is 

 extensively used by the Chinese as an ingredient in soups. 

 The Gingko is said to represent the sole surviving link 

 between trees and ferns. 



"Pinus bungeana is much less known to the outside 

 world being restricted to a very narrow habitat in north- 

 ern China (principally in Central Chihli, the province in 

 which Peking is situated, and in a few places in the 

 neighboring provinces). It is one of the most remark- 

 able of all trees on account of the dazzling whiteness of 

 its bark, a feature which renders it wholly and strikingly 

 unique. In addition, its form is graceful and picturesque, 

 and its foliage unusually delicate. As in the case of the 

 Gingko it occurs naturally rarely if at all, but is exten- 

 sively planted around grave-mounds, in temples and in 

 gardens. It is known among foreigners as the "white- 

 barked pine" or else as the "white lace-barked pine," 

 the latter on account of the delicate lace-like tracery left 

 on the trunk as the outer bark peels off. But above all, 

 it is the extraordinary whiteness of its bark to which it 

 owes its high interest a whiteness as though it had been 

 newly white-washed or carefully painted." 



FAMOUS TREE SUCCUMBS TO OLD AGE 



AN Associated Press dispatch from London says that 

 a famous old mulberry tree in North London under 

 which 144 years ago it is said the American Declaration 

 of Independence was first read in England, has fallen 

 under the weight of its age. 



American Boy Scouts attending the International Scout 

 Conference there visited the tree only a few days before it 

 crashed and its history was told to 300 of them, who 

 had their photographs taken beneath its branches. 



The tree stood on one of the lawns of the Mildmay 

 Conference Hall. Many religious leaders have addressed 

 meetings in its ample shade. Hundreds of requests for 

 chips from the tree are being received. 





