MISCELLANEOUS SMALL WILD BEKEIES. 49 



ACTINIDIA ARGUTA. 



The species Actinidia arguta also occurs wild in Manchuria and 

 northern Korea. It is of much stronger growth, but is seen far less 

 often than the first species. The fruit is larger than that of Actinidia 

 kolomilcta and is also collected and eaten by the natives. According 

 to information obtained from Unsan, northern Korea, the fruit 

 is called "tara" in that region and is well liked. 



ACTINIDIA CHINENSIS. 



[Chinese name, "Yangtao."] 



The species Actinidia chinensis seems to be the largest and most 

 important of all. It grows in the mild-wintered Yangtze Valley, and 

 as far as the writer was able to ascertain is not cultivated at all. 

 The vine is a very rank grower, attaining large dimensions. The 

 fruit is of the shape of a small hen's egg, has a rough skin, and is of 

 a rust}^ color. It tastes something like a gooseberry, but has other 

 flavors added to it. The missionaries prepare a jam from it that is 

 of very good quality. Plants of this species have been widely dis- 

 tributed of late, and will no doubt show in the near future whether 

 they are productive enough to warrant the very large space they 

 require for successful development. (S. P. I. Nos. 11629 and 21781.) 



MISCELLANEOUS SMALL WILD BERRIES. 



As has been stated, the Chinese do not seem to like soft fruits very 

 well, especially the wild, berrylike kinds. This is probably the reason 

 why they have never developed any of the excellent wild forms of 

 Rubus which they possess. The ordinary red raspberry (Rubus 

 idaeus) grows in large quantities in the mountains of northern China, 

 Manchuria, and eastern Siberia, and although the fruit is not very large 

 it is of a good flavor. 



Various other species of raspberries, thimble berries, blackberries, 

 and all sorts of intermediate forms bearing white, yellow, red, or black 

 fruit occur all over China. Dr. Augustine Henry and Mr. E. H. 

 Wilson have collected scores of good species in central and western 

 China, some of which in the near future will give rise to entirely new 

 strains. 



The genus Ribes has some promising species in the Orient. Here 

 and there in the high mountains of northern China one finds wild 

 gooseberries and various kinds of wild currants that seem to be able 

 to withstand a drier climate than the varieties of western Europe 

 and may therefore be used in hybridization work. 



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