﻿2 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORT ED. 



60 feet in height and 2J feet in diameter. Pyrus serrulata, a .species 

 from which, apparently, have originated some of the small-fruited 

 cultivated varieties of central China and which has shown a marked 

 degree of blight resistance, is represented. Pyrus ussuriensis is the 

 species of which young trees (from seed which Mr. Frank N. Meyer 

 collected) have shown a higher degree of resistance to blight than 

 any other species yet tested. It is from this that have arisen some of 

 the best cultivated pears of China such as the " Ya Kuang li," a large 

 pear resembling the Bartlett, which compares well in flavor with the 

 best European pears; the " Suan li," a small but very juicy pear 

 of tart flavor ; and the " Pai li," a medium-sized lemon-yellow pear of 

 excellent flavor. 



The researches on crown-gall and the search for a stock for the ! 

 stone fruits have revealed the fact that the Japanese mume (Prunus 

 mume, Nos. 45876 to 45881) is worthy of careful study, and through 

 the kindness of Prof. Onda a collection of the most promising vari- 

 eties has been obtained. These include the varieties which are most 

 used by the Japanese for the production of their pickled mume, a 

 kind of pickle which for sourness makes all other pickles seem sweet. 

 There are said to be several hundred varieties of this species (which 

 is classed as an apricot rather than a plum) , and a thorough canvass 

 of the various forms should be made. 



As the result of many years of plant breeding and selection, Dr. 

 Van Fleet has produced some remarkable varieties of chestnuts of 

 the species Castanea crenata and of the Chinese species which Mr. 

 Me}^er introduced (C. mollis sima) , which is resistant to the bark 

 disease. He has produced some interesting hybrids between Cas- 

 tanea crenata and C . pumdla, the common chinquapin. These are 

 for trial as orchard trees, for the production of table chestnuts (Nos. 

 45858 to 45866). 



In this connection Mr. Meyer's discovery of a shrubby chinquapin 

 (Castanea seguinii, No. 45949), which is found on the mountain 

 slopes of central China and which appears to be immune to the bark 

 disease and at the same time better adapted to moist locations, is 

 worthy of mention. 



In 1898 Prof. Hansen introduced a Russian variety of quince 

 (Cydonia ohlonga, S. P. I. No. 1123), which at Murdock, Kans., has 

 proved hardy and which bears excellent fruit, whereas the standard 

 varieties do not fruit there. Budded plants of this variety are being 

 again distributed under Nos. 45889 and 45890. 



During the winter of 1917-18, when Mr. Meyer was in Ichang, he 

 made an investigation of the Ichang lemon, which, according to 

 the researches of Swingle, is to be considered as a new species of the 

 genus Citrus (C. ichangensis) . He found that it was used by the 



