THE CHINESE JUJUBE 5 



trees and shrubs should be followed in planting the jujube. The hole 

 should be slightly larger than is necessary, to allow the roots to retain 

 their natural positions. 



PRUNING 



All of the short, recurved side branches should be removed from 

 the young trees as they come from the nursery, and the main stem 

 should be headed back to a height of 24 to 30 inches above the 

 ground. As with other deciduous fruits, the second year 3 or 4 well- 

 placed branches should be selected in such a way as to fill in and give 

 the tree a good spread and keep it as symmetrical and well balanced 

 as possible. 



The jujube tree has a natural tendency to grow upright and some- 

 what narrower than most fruit trees. The main object in pruning 

 should be to force the tree to spread and form a low flat head, in 

 order to keep the fruit as near the ground as possible, for convenience 

 in picking. 



VARIETIES 



There is a close resemblance in size, shape, and quality among 

 many varieties that according to present information have no out- 

 >tanding merit. The four varieties described in the following para- 

 graphs were selected as being superior to any of the others. 



MU SHING HONG 



Mu Shing Hong (P. I. no. 22684) x is one of the best varieties. 

 The fruit is large, l 1 /^ to 1% inches in length, 1 to \y 2 inches in 

 greatest diameter, ellipsoidal, and slightly flattened at the ends. 

 The stone is of medium size, % to 1% inches in length and three- 

 eighths to one-half inch in greatest diameter. This variety some- 

 times bears fruits the bony portions of which do not harden, thus 

 giving rise to what are termed seedless fruits. The stone has a 

 strong acute tip at the distal end. 



LANG 



The Lang (P. I. no. 22686) is probably the best variety (fig. 3) 

 for general purposes. Of the four varieties considered most promis- 

 ing for cultivation in the United States, it is the most easily prop- 

 agated. The fruit is large, pear-shaped, \y 2 to 2 inches in length, 

 1 to iy 2 inches in greatest diameter. The stone is of medium size, 

 seven-eighths to 1% inches in length, one-fourth to three-fourths 

 inch in greatest diameter, and tapers more abruptly toward the 

 distal end, which terminates in a stout spine. 



SUI MEN 



The Sui Men variety (P. I. no. 38245) is of average size and is 

 useful for many purposes. The fruit is of medium size, 1 to 1% 

 inches in length, seven-eighths to iy 2 inches in greatest diameter. 

 In form it is ellipsoidal with some fruits unsymmetrical. The stone 



1 Serial number assigned by Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction. 



