42 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE ORCHARDS OF CHINA. 



be done in the United States on a large scale, as the high price of 

 American labor would be prohibitive, but in the Rocky Mountain 

 section of the United States, especially, the people could have choice 

 varieties of grapes for their own table use if they would take the 

 trouble to protect the vines in winter in this way. a 



RAISINS. 



Raisins are not common in China, and those seen there are a 

 small, seedless, greenish-white kind, said to be made from grapes 

 grown in the neighborhood of Kweihuacheng, Mongolia, a district 

 with very dry air. 



VARIOUS SPECIES OF WILD GRAPES. 



[Chinese name, Shan poo tao.] 



In northern China, Manchuria, and eastern Siberia a wild grape 

 (Vitis amurensis) grows. This grape is found in dense thickets over- 

 running shrubs and trees. It is a rather prolific bearer, the bunches 

 and berries being small, however, and rather sour; but the plant is 

 so remarkably hardy, standing temperatures of —40° F., that there 

 may be a possibility of using it in hybridization experiments. In its 

 wild state it is collected by the Chinese and Russians and eagerly 

 eaten. In eastern Siberia the writer also tasted some inferior wine 

 and some good vinegar that had been made from it by a Russian 

 settler. (S. P. I. Xos. 19477, 19600, 20347 to 20349, and 22601.) 



Besides the Vitus amurensis, one finds here and there various other 

 wild species. In the Boshan district is found a wild grape called ' ; Ya pu 

 tao" (S. P. I. No. 21979). From it the Chinese make a fairly good 

 wine, which is remarkably strong. In the Lungtung district of Shan- 

 tung there are two other species, both bearing edible berries. In 

 the Mokansan region, to the southwest of Shanghai, one finds grapes 

 that have many spines along their branches and bear edible berries. 

 They are even sparingly cultivated by foreigners. In all probability 

 they are a species of Spinovitis (perhaps S. davidi) and might be fitted 

 for hybridizing with better varieties to produce strains of grapes 

 that could stand a greater degree of moist heat than our present 

 good varieties are able to do. 



THE CITRUS GROUP. 



Numerous, indeed, are the various species and varieties of Citrus in 

 China. - As is well known, southern China is supposed to be the home 

 of the swojt orange (Citrus aurantium sinensis). Besides this species, 



«This method is practiced to a limited extent with tender varieties in the Northern 

 States and in Canada. — William A. Taylor. 

 204 . 



