tin} globe, has also found its way into China, 
but its cultivation here does not seem to be 
successful and supplies more the want of the 
European residents, than those of the ab- 
origines, among whom it has not as yet found 
much favour. They prefer other indigenous 
tuberous plants, such as the Yam, the Sweet 
Potato, the Taro, Arrow-root &c. "The Po- 
tato is cultivated in the neighbourhood of 
Peking principally in the sandy plain to the 
North of the Capital, but it does not grow 
plentifully. At Peking the potato is called 
ib m a. Shan-yao-tou , in Southern 
China, according to Bridgman’s Chrestomathy 
Ho-lan-shu , because the Dutch 
jhj IgoJ ; 
first brought it to China. 
O 
The Ground nut (Araehis hypogaea), Lo- 
hua-sheng (v. s.) is much cultivated through- 
out China as an article of food. The oil ob- 
tained from it is an important article of com- 
merce. Crawfurd (1. c.) states that the 
Ground nut, extensively cultivated in the 
Archipelago was probably introduced from 
China or Japan. Brown (Bot. Congo p. 53) 
is of the same opinion. But I think, this 
plant has been introduced into China in the 
last century, for the Pen-ts‘ao does not men- 
tion it. It is first described and represented 
in the Gh. W. ( XXXI ) under the names 
, /jx Lo-hua-sheng and JCt 
Fan-tou (foreign bean.) In the descriptive 
part of the Ch. W. Chap. X VI it is stated, 
that the Lo-hua-sheng is not an indigenous 
plant, but came by way of sea from South- 
ern countries. There it is said, that at the 
time of the Sung 960-1280 or the Yuan 
1280-1368 ^ Mien-hua, ?jjj: 
Fan-kua, -|;T ||| Hung-shu and Lo-hua- 
sheng were first brought from the sea coun- 
tries to Canton. * 
I have already stated, that the Maize, a 
native of America has been introduced into 
China. Li-shi-chen was the first Chinese author, 
* The author explains that Mien-hua (Cotton) at 
that time was called -r!~* fsf Ki-pei , the Hung-shu, 
5-9 
JJX. Ti-ltua (ground melon), the Lo-hua-sheng 
li Ti-tou ( ground bean. ) — Under the name of 
Fan-kua the Ch. W. describes and represents (XXXI ) 
the Oarica papaya. I am not able to state what plant 
by Hung-shu is meant. But, I think these statements 
are not very authentic. The author may be right that 
all the above mentioned plants were introduced into 
China, but he errs regarding the time of their intro- 
duction. The Carica papaya is a native of tropical 
America and could not be introduced into China before 
the discovery of America. 
I would finally remark, that Decandolle (1. c. 963) is 
of opinion, that Araehis hypogaea is also of American 
origin. 
who mentioned it at the close of the 1 6tli 
century, under the name of 37 urn 
Yu-sJm-shu (Jade Sorgho) P. XXIII 6. Ch, 
W. II. He states, that it was introduced from 
Central Asia. Now a days it is largely cul- 
tivated in China and bears in each province a 
different name (Cf. Notes and Queries 1867 
No. 6). The Persian name of Maize is ghendum i 
Meltk'd (wheat from Mecca.) That seems to prove, 
that the Maize, after having been brought 
to Europe spread over Asia from West to 
East. At Peking the Maize is called 5* 
Yii-mi (Jade corn.) Decandolle (1. c. p. 338) 
says: “ M. Bunge, qui a traverse le nord de la 
Chine, jusqu’ a Pbking, m’a certifib n’avoir 
pas aper^u de Mais.” This statement is not 
correct. The Maize is abundantly cultivated 
in the neighbourhood of Peking and the bread 
baked from Maize forms one of the cheapest 
articles of food of the poor.)f I have asked 
about the Maize of several of the oldest men 
in Peking. They agree in stating, that as long 
as they can remember Maize was cultivated 
here. In addition to this a learned Chinese 
assured me, that in Chinese records it is said, 
that the cultivation of Maize near Peking dates 
from the end of the Ming dynasty 1380-1644. 
Amongst our European cereals the Oats 
(Avena Sativa) is also to be found in the v f > 
Chinese dominions, but it grows only in the 
mountainous countries of Shansi, in Southern 
Mongolia, and in Thibet. The Oats is men- 
tioned in the History of the Tang dynasty 
618-907 (Tang-shu Ch. 256 Article T‘u-fan) 
under the name of ■pg t" sing -ho as a prod- 
uct of Thibet. The Pen-ts’ao speaks of it 
briefly (Art. Ta-mai.) The Ch. W. I. p. 32 
describes the Oats and gives an excellent 
drawing. Oats is known in Peking under 
the names Yu-viai or §£ f(g 
Ling -tang -mai (ling-tang denotes little bells.) 
But it does not grow here. 
The Eye (Secale cereale) as far as I know, 
is nowhere cultivated in the Celestial Empire. 
M. Perny, however, in his Diet ionnaire francais- 
lat-chin, Art. production, mentions Rye (Seigle) 
as a product of China. I, am very curious to 
know, where he found Rye. 
I would finally mention, en passant, that in 
the gardens of the Emperor a splendid cereal 
plant is cultivated under the name of ^j|p Jj|^ 
Yu-hu (Imperial corn.) This is the Penicillaria, 
spicata, with a typha like appearance. This 
plant is extensively cultivated in India under 
the name of Bajri. At Peking it is, as I have 
been informed, used for the Imperial table. 
In the above mentioned botanical work, 
Nan-fang-ts’ao-mu-ch’uang (written in the 3rd 
t The Maize is so cheap in Peking, that even the beg- 
gars enjoy from time to time the luxury of eating 
maizebread. As is known, the principal food of the 
beggars in China is the same as that, of which dogs 
are fed, and is often collected on the streets, where 
vegetable and animal remains of human repasts are 
thrown. 
