20 
given to the rose and SPI No. 4.6o03 to the Prunus ^landulosa , 
both of which reached us on April ?5, 191B. Mr. Meyer v/rote: 
Herewith I am forwarding to the American 
Consul-General at Shanghai, one parcel, marked 
D.A. 48 and containing roots and cuttings of a 
rose and a bush-cherry, Fos. 130? and 1303. 
Please find enclosed the two inventory notes 
describing these finds. 
Prunus ^landulosa as a future fruiting shrub 
is a novelty; we haven't got It un in North China. 
T wonder whether these parcels will ever 
reach you! I have not received mail now for a 
few months. Conditions here are as upset as 
ever; travel is pretty near impossible, except by 
an occasional Japanese steamer'. Food supplies 
are running low, fighting occurs near and around 
the city almost hourly for all these last weeks 
and everybody feels depressed from this long-drawn 
state of suspension. 
The foreigners here have formed a defense 
committee, but of course a mere handful of white 
residents can do nothing against brigands In uni- 
' ' ,, forms, as nearly all- of these Chinese soldiers 
are, and there are several thousands of these 
parasites all around us. I saw last week hov/ some 
of these fellows took out the hearts of some fel- 
lows they had shot and mutilated the corpses in 
unspeakable ways. , They were going to eat these 
hearts to get courage.' One loses all confidence 
in this whole race, by witnessing such acts of 
barbarism and cannibalism. 
Of late I have been assisting many of the 
foreign residents in changing their gardens and 
transplanting large and small trees. It took ' • 
us last week ?5 coolies in removing one large 
tea-olive ( Osmanthus fragrans ) . A thing like 
this had never before taken place in Ichang and 
should all of these various trees pull thru my 
work will be tied up v;lth this city for a hundred 
years to come. 
Vie are having a moist spring here after a 
mild, dry winter; insect life is commencing al- 
ready. Peas and broadbeans are in flov;er; Prunus 
mume in varieties are about over and cherries 
"(l^'. ' pseudo - cerasus ) are just commencing to dot 
the countryside with blotches of white. --Trade 
is utterly at a stand-still and the losses to 
everybody run into millions. --As a whole people 
around here take life philosophically, v^hich is 
the best one can do. 
With hopes of a more encouraging letter to 
you the next time, I remain, 
September ?1, 191_B. 
