ON INEDIBLE FRUITS 



wild state is often collected for making jellies, and 

 is far better in quality than the goumi berry of 

 Japan, although very much smaller. 



The best of all these species bear fruit in 

 astounding quantities. The crossing of the best 

 varieties of the American and the Asiatic Elaeag- 

 nus gives as good promise of important results 

 as any fruits that I can mention. 



A Unique Chinese Fruit With Green Flesh 



Another importation from the Orient that 

 seems pretty certain to be welcomed here, is a 

 plant indigenous to China, belonging to the genus 

 Actinidia, known to the natives as the mao-li-dzi. 



The English interpretation of this word is said 

 to be something like "Hairy Plum." 



As described by a missionary from whom I 

 received the seeds of the plant, the Hairy Plum 

 grows as a vine, and has a fruit with bright green 

 flesh, containing seeds not UEfKke those of the 

 strawberry, and with a thin brown skin covered 

 with a downy coat like that of the peach. The 

 fruit is said to resemble the strawberry in taste. 

 It is described as delicious when raw, and also 

 as very good when cooked. 



My informant further states that the seeds are 

 obtained from a plant growing in the mountains 

 at an altitude of about five thousand feet. He de- 

 clares that the fruit is popular, and that efforts 



[251] 



