26 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE ORCHARDS OF CHINA. 



Another mellow pear of pale-yellow color and of medium size and 

 good flavor is the "Pei soo li," a rare local kind grown in the neigh- 

 borhood of Jehol. (S. P. I. Xo. 21928.) 



There is also the "Ta suan li," meaning big sour pear, having a 

 very short peduncle and persistent calyx. It is greenish yellow in 

 color. It remains hard until spring, then becomes mellow and has 

 a peculiar, agreeable, sour taste. It is excellent for making into 

 preserves to be used with game or meat. Tins variety grows near 

 Jehol, China. (S. P. I. Xo. 21929.) 



Then there is the "Mien suan li," or mealy sour pear, which closely 

 resembles the preceding variety and grows near Kwangning, Manchu- 

 ria. (S. P. I. Xo. 20260.) Another sour variety, called the "Mo 

 pan suan li," or grindstone sour pear, is similar to the first -mentioned 

 variety. This kind grows hi the city of Liaoyang, Manchuria. 

 (S. P. I. Xo. 2024$. ) 



Another mellow pear, with an agreeable tart flavor, is the "Guarr 

 li," growing at Jehol, China. This variety is rather small, has a short 

 peduncle, is of yellow color, and has a rosy-red blush on one side. 

 (S. P. I. Xo. 21931.) 



Besides all these mellow pears there are a great number of hard 

 pears in China and, strange to say, the Chinese prefer these to the 

 soft ones. The best of aU the varieties of hard pears of northern 

 China is the "Ya'rh li." This pear is of large size, of a clear, 

 light-yellow color, has the real pear shape, with a very long peduncle 

 and a nonpersistent calyx. The flesh, although hard, is very juicy 

 and sweet, and foreigners come to hke it as much as the natives 

 do. The shipping and keeping qualities of this variety are excellent, 

 and it is to be obtained in northern China throughout the whole 

 winter. There is a good deal of variation in the size and flavor of 

 the fruit, caused by the difTerence in the trees or by locahties, but on 

 the whole this "Ya'rh li" is a fine large pear, well worthy of being 

 introduced. (S. P. I. Xos. 16924, 17178, 17726, 20233, 20234, 

 20256, 22438, and 22442.) 



Another pear, of very large size, ocher-yeUow in color, but with 

 coarse flesh, is the "Ma ti huang li," or horseshoe pear. The writer 

 found it growing in gardens in Liaoyang and Kwangning, in Manchu- 

 ria. (S. P. I. Xos. 20247 and 20251.) Another kind, famous for 

 its fruit, winch is dried and put up in boxes, is the ''Hsiang sui li," 

 or fragrant water pear. It grows especially well in the city of 

 Liaoyang, Manchuria, and every year a present of a number of boxes 

 of these dried pears is made to the Emperor at Peking. a The trees 

 are very vigorous growers, but apparently shy bearers. They can, 

 however, stand a good deal of cold and grow even in and near Kwang- 

 chengtze, Manchuria, (S. P. I. Xos. 20232, 20245, and 20253.) 



a See Hosie. Alexander, Manchuria. 

 204 



