92 



NOTES ON THE AGRICULTURE, BOTANY 



and South of China. For instance in the North kaoliang 

 serves as one of the principal food stuffs : while in the South 

 at Foochow this cereal is but little used by the local farmers. 

 Kaoliang is not found here in grain and medicines shops, but 

 is sometimes observed in market-gardens as a plant forming 

 high hedges and the seeds are used to feed poultry and also 

 to prepare the kaoliang-groats. More frequently kaoliang is 

 planted in small groups of 10-20 specimens, but big planta- 

 tions of them are rarely seen. It is found here in the bearded 

 form with white and red seeds, it is sown in the third month 

 (lunar calendar) and ripens in the eighth. 



Two harvests of kaoliang are obtained. The first crop 

 consists of the big brushes, growing directly on the stalks, 

 the second is obtained from the brushes, growing up from the 

 the lateral shoots appearing in the middle of the stems. 



The second brushes are three times smaller than the first 

 one and have only 60-150 seeds. For this reason the local 

 Chinese have a habit, with the ripening of large brushes, not 

 to cut it near the roots, as is done in North China, but near 

 the top of the stalk. This fact shows that the local Chinese 

 are skilful in their economy of cultivated plants. 



The second cereal is maize but not well known locally 

 which is also only seen in vegetable gardens with yellow 

 grains. Maize is planted here in the third month and then 

 the seedling will reach 5-7 inches, they are transplanted on 

 beds one foot from each other. 



The local plants are low, feeble, with a very small cob. 

 The maize grains and maize flour are not common as food 

 stuffs here. 



XXVIII. — List of Plants Growing in Foochow. 



The following list of plants which is given in this note 

 represents my first short botanic report on Foochow. It 

 contains only a small portion of existing plants in this locality 

 and the remaining ones after being defined will be given 

 later on. 



Aleurites cordata D. C. 

 Abutilon avicennae Gaertn. 

 Adiantum cuneatum Lgsd. 



Fish. 

 Agave americana L. 

 Albizzia Julibrissin Dur. 

 Alisma Plantago L. 

 Aralia sinensis L. 

 Areca Catechu L. 

 Asparagus lucidus L. 

 Azalea indica L. 

 Azalea sinensis Lodd. 

 Azolla sp. 



Bambusa arundinacea Weed 

 Bambusa vulgaris, Schrad. 



Bombax malabaricum. 

 Biota orientalis Endl. 

 and Bignonia grandiflora L. 



Boemeria nivea. Hook and Arn. 

 Capsella Bursa pastoris Moench. 

 Coix lacryma L. 

 Calendula officinalis L. 

 Canarium album Raensch. 

 Camellia japonica Thub. 

 Camellia sasangua Thunb. 

 Canna indica L. 

 Carica Papaya L. 

 Caryota sp. 



Catalpa Kaempferi S. and Z. 

 Celosia cristata L. 



