96 NOTES OX THE AGRICULTURE, 



Several kinds of pumelo (Citrus deciimana) both white 

 and rose fleshed were also seen at Foochow. 



The local pumeloes were bitter and sour. Citron (Citrus 

 medico) cumquat (Citrus japonica) and other- citrous fruits 

 grow here in small quantities. 



The lemon tree was only seen in two places. 



XLIII. — Plums of North Manchuria. 



Plum trees (Huang-li or Hung-li) are very common 

 in North Manchuria and are grown for their fruit. They 

 are cultivated by the Chinese both in villages and towns. 

 Being a hardy tree in this country these plum trees grow as 

 far north as the shores of the Amur river, in the district of 

 Harbin, and in Chinese villages at the Eastern and Western 

 parts of the Chinese Eastern Railway. Plums are also seen 

 in the Kirin district and in the villages between Chang-chun 

 and Yao-men. They are grown with success in the Sungari 

 district, that is, in the provinces of Kirin and Hehlungkiang, 

 as well as in the north-west part of the Kirin province and in 

 the Ussuri district of the Russian Far East. 



The northern limit of plum culture in North Manchuria 

 lies in the Southern part of the Amur district, but its range 

 seems capable of being extended further north by the selec- 

 tion of hardier varieties. Some of these plum trees grow 

 quite well in Siberia. 



The best plums in North Manchuria come from the 

 villages of the Yaomen and Kirin district. They are noted 

 for their appearance, excellent quality, and ferility. 



The local Chinese rural population are not much in- 

 terested in fruit growing, every farm house has only 3-5, 

 rarely 10-30 plum or apricot trees. The majority of these 

 trees do badly. 



The Chinese in North Manchuria are in the habit of 

 gathering the plums half ripe and in that state they are 

 eaten or sent to neighbouring towns and markets. There are 

 several kinds of preserved fruits. They are smoked, picked, 

 dried and pressed. 



Plum trees increase and multiply chiefly by their stones, 

 but quite often by the young shoots which appear on the 

 roots, of the grown up trees. Every old tree has several 

 dozens of such off -shoots. 



The local plum trees do not surfer from cold, the tem- 

 perature in winter in these parts is about 35 degrees C. The 

 bark of trees cf 10-15 years old are often covered with fungus. 

 The young fruits are infected by fungi, the leaves are often 

 covered with Poly stigma rubra and are attacked by aphis 

 and dark caterpillars. 



