CHINESE TREES AND SHRUBS. 



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CHINESE TREES AND SHRUBS. 

 By W. J. Bean. 



[Read May 5, 1914; Professor F. Keeble, M.A., F.R.S., in the Chair.] 



Even before the recent exploration of the flora of Central and 

 Western China, one could not complain of any lack of variety or beauty 

 amongst the hardy trees and shrubs already existing in gardens. The 

 " Hand-list of Trees and Shrubs " published at Kew in 1902 enumerated 

 about 4500 species and varieties. A new tree or shrub, therefore, 

 to justify its introduction to gardens, either should be distinct from 

 those we already possess, or it should have greater beauty than 

 its immediate allies already in cultivation, or be hardier and more 

 easily cultivated than they are. No useful purpose is served by 

 bringing into gardens a new plant, however pretty, which differs 

 only in some minute botanical particular from another already 

 plentiful there. Still less, of course, do we want weedy and indifferent 

 ones. When I was in Ireland last year, I was told a little story rather 

 apropos to the present occasion. A horticulturist, whom you all 

 know very well by name, was being conducted round a garden by 

 the proprietor, who pulled up in front of a plant in full blossom. 

 " That," said he, with an intonation of pride, " is the first time that 

 plant has flowered under cultivation. It was brought by So-and-so 

 from China." Our friend gazed at it for a short time in silence ; 

 then he said, " Well, all I can say is. So-and-so ought to be made to 

 take it back again." 



I shall have no difficulty in showing that gardens owe an immense 

 debt of gratitude to Mr. Wilson and to those who sent him to China. 

 It is a matter of legitimate pride for us of this country to know that 

 it was an English firm, that of the Messrs. Veitch, who first in- 

 augurated the exploration of Far China in the interests of horticul- 

 turists alone. This is not belittling the valuable work done by 

 French missionaries, who were the first to send to Europe many 

 plants of Western China, nor that of the Jardin des Plantes at Paris 

 and M. Maurice de Vilmorin, who were the first to cultivate them. 

 Their collecting, admirable as it was, was Httle more than the 

 occupation of a leisure time sandwiched in between other duties, 

 and, after all, was more important for the herbarium than the garden. 

 And the same has to be said for the remarkable botanical exploration 

 done by Professor A. Henry, now of Dublin. 



Wilson was sent by the Messrs. Veitch to China for the first 

 time in 1899. He made a second journey for them in 1903. Thanks 

 to the public spirit of that firm, much good botanical work was 



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