2 BULLETIN 1215, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
to retard the development of many of our common fruits. It has a 
distinct advantage over most of the deciduous fruits now grown 
in that section, because it flowers so late that it is rarely injured by 
spring frosts. 
The jujube has a high food value. Chemical analyses have shown 
that it compares very favorably with both dates and figs. When 
properly processed by cooking in a sugar sirup and afterwards dried, 
it becomes a delicious confection, superior to many fruit confections 
now on the market. The fresh tin it can be successfully used in the 
home for sweet pickles, fruit butter, preserves, and as a stewed fruit, 
in addition to its use as a con feet ion. The dried fruit can be used 
in breads, cakes, puddings, and with cooked cereals. 
THE CHINESE JUJUBE IN ASIA AND EUROPE. 
The Chinese jujube was cultivated in northern China many cen- 
turies before the beginning of the Christian era. A Chinese work, 
Pen Tsao Kang Mu, published 300 years ago by Li Shi Chen, listed 
43 named varieties; hundreds are described in the more recent works. 
It is now widely distributed, extending from northern and central 
China through northern India. Persia, Armenia, and Syria to the 
Mediterranean region, Spain, and France. Throughout most of this 
region, according to De Candolle (#),* the jujube is found both 
wild and cultivated. It was introduced into these countries several 
hundred years ago. 
Xo name is found for the Chinese jujube in the Sanskrit or Hebrew 
languages, and it is not mentioned in the works of the ancient 
Greeks, an indication that it is not a native of western Asia. In 
summarizing, De Candolle says — 
It appears to me probable, therefore, that the species is a native of the 
north of China; and it was Introduced and became naturalized in the west 
of Asia after the epoch of the Sanskrit language, perhaps 2.500 or 3,000 years 
ago; that the Greeks and Romans became acquainted with it at the beginning 
of our era. and that the latter carried it to Barhary and Spain, where it 
became partially naturalized by the effect of civilization. 
According to Pliny (11) the Chinese jujube was introduced into 
Rome from Syria by the consul Sextus Papinius near the end of 
the reign of Augustus. 
Although grown for hundreds of years in China, the jujube 
was long obscure in western Europe. There are few references to 
it in early botanical or horticultural literature. Since its introduc- 
tion into the Mediterranean region it has become better known, and 
all the more important dictionaries and works on gardening in 
Europe contain accounts of it. 
The varieties known and sold in the markets of Europe are seed- 
lings, the fruits of which are about the size of an olive and would 
probably never attract much attention in the American markets. 
European horticulturists appear never to have investigated the 
possibilities of the Chinese jujube. 
Meyer's explorations have shown that there are hundreds of 
varieties of this valuable fruit in China, varying in size from that 
of a cherry to 2 inches or more in diameter. 
1 Serial numbers (italic] in parentheses refer to "Literature cited," at the end of this 
bulletin. 
