SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



(Ij lb.) apiece. In Shansi some small green 

 peaches of an exquisite flavour are cultivated. 

 There is another variety with deep crimson-coloured 

 flesh. 



Recent experiments carried out in America show 

 that the Peaches introduced from China do far 

 better than those from Europe. This fact is 

 believed to be due to the greater drought-resisting 

 qualities of the Chinese plants. 



The Wild Apricot {Prunus armeniaca) also flour- 

 ishes in the mountains of North China. Unlike 

 that of the Wild Peach, the fruit is soft, sweet and 

 juicy. It grows into a good-sized tree, in which 

 characteristic it again differs from the Wild Peach. 



Tlie Apricot is extensively cultivated by the 

 Chinese, and many large and delicious varieties 

 are grown. The fruit is dried for winter use, 

 while the kernels are exported under the name of 

 Almonds. In the mountains of Shansi the natives 

 extract oil from the kernels, which they use in 

 their lamps. 



The Wild Plum (Prunus sp.), already referred 

 to in an earlier chapter as the blackthorn, occurs, 

 though somewhat rarely, in the mountains of 

 Shansi. It sometimes attains the size of a large 

 shrub. The fruit is small, black and very sour. 

 There are several varieties of cultivated Plums, a 

 small purple one being the most common. Large 

 yellow plums may also be bought occasionally. 



In North China only two varieties of Cherries 



231 



