6 
EARLY EUROPEAN RESEARCHES 
6. The province of Han chu (probably Hang chon fu, the 
capital of Chekiang, is meant), produces a peculiar fruit called 
yam mai by the natives. It is of the size of a plum, of a 
globular shape and resembles in color and taste the mulberry. 
The tree to which this fruit belongs bears however no resem¬ 
blance to the mulberry tree. (p. 8.) 
The author means the Myrica sapida Wall., a common fruit in Chekiang, 
in Chinese yang mei. 
7. The province of Peking produces Maize, Wheat and 
some Bice for the use of the Emperor’s court, the mandarins 
and the soldiers. An excellent kind of rice, which they eat 
boiled in water, without other ingredients, comes from Nan¬ 
king. (p.5,30.) 
This is the rice known under the name of glutinous rice. In Peking 
it is called a * Kiang mi. 
8. The island of Hai nan produces the famous odoriferous 
Paglewood and the wood called hud li mo by the natives, Rose - 
wood by the Portuguese, (p. 13.) / 
According to Loureiro (PI. cochin. 327.) the Aloewood (or Eagle- 
wood) of Cochinchina is yielded by Aloexylon Agalloohum, but nobody 
after Loureiro has seen this tree. In India Aquilaria Agallocha 
Boxb. is said to produce Aloewood.—The wood which the Chinese call 
^ yfC hua li mu is well known in this country and sold even at 
Peking, but the tree by which it is produced is unknown to botanists. 
9. Belle-Isle, (thus Semedo terms Formosa) produces Pepper 
which grows in the forests. Cinnamon is found there in the 
mountains. The Camphor trees of this island attain an ex¬ 
traordinary height. China-root and Salsapariglia are also 
found there, (p. 15.) 
Camphortrees (Cinflamotnum Camphora. Nees) are indeed a prominent 
feature of Formosa. Chinese Cinnamon (Cinnamomum, Cassia Bl. and other 
species) is known to grow in the provinces of Kuangsi and Kui chon. 
I am not aware that modern travellers have noticed it in Formosa. 
China-root is Smilax China, L. and other species. 
10. The Ehubarb plant is found in the province of Xensi 
(Shensi). It grows to a considerable height. Its leaves are 
larger than those of cabbage, (p. 23.) 
At the time of the Ming dynasty the present department of Si ning fu, 
still famed for its Bhubarb, belonged to the province of Shensi. 
11. In the province of Liao tung a root is produced which is 
sold at the double price of its weight in silver. It is a 
marvellous medicine, which is able to increase the strength of 
the frame and to restore the exhausted animal powers. The 
Chinese call it Gin sem. (p. 31.) 
