272 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
A XIAV A(;i{I(ULTUKAL LXIUOIIATION OF NOKTH- 
FASTEKN OHINA 
Foi' a iniml»(‘r of yc'ars llio I)(*|)ai liii(Mil of Agriciillure 
has ('xploriii^- IIk' a^i icullural rasourcc's of (’hina. 
TIk' lata Frank N. May('r, daan of agriaultural axplorers, 
was first saiil to tliat aoiintry in 1905. During the sua- 
(('('(ling y(‘ars ha travalad w i(l('ly, not alona in (diina, but 
also in Tuik('stan, llussia, Sibaria and otbar parts of 
Fasb'i n Asia. Tln^ agriaiiltural raaonnaissanaa w Iiiah In' 
nia(l(', and llu' ])!anls a()ll('at('(l by him, ara proving of 
graal valna. In 1922, (k A. Pu'ad, of tha Bureau of Plant 
Indusiry, traveled in tha walnut-growing ragions of 
(ihina, and brought baak inuab information aoncarning 
nut crops, as wall as plant matarial. Josapb F. Koek, 
(u iginally said out as an agrieullural ax])lorer of this de- 
partniant, and latar transfarrad to the National Oeograpb- 
ia Soaialy, explored the remote and lillle-kiiowui soutb- 
weslei'ii portion of the eouuti’y, seaui'ing a vast amount 
of information eoncerning the native flora, and seeds of 
many jilants likely to find a congenial borne in certain 
parts of the United States. 
A new agrieullural exploring expedition, distinct in 
aliaraeter from those wbieli have jireaeded it, left San 
Francisco on July 22. This is beaded by P. II. Dorset!, 
agrieultural explorei', a man connected with this office 
for nearly a (juarter of a eejdury, and well knovan to 
most of oui' experimenters and correspondents. The work 
of the expedition, w bicli w ill confine its activities to the 
norlbeastern part of China, in particular the provinces of 
Chihli, Shansi and Manchuria, is designed to benefit prin¬ 
cipally the northern portions of the United States, and 
especially the Great Plains region. The Department has 
long desired to undertake an intensive search for hardy 
(rop plants, fruits and shade trees, but disturbed jioliti- 
cal conditions in eastern Asia, the most promising held 
for such an exjiloration, have necessitated considerable 
delay in carrying out the project. 
For many centuries the Chinese have been cultivating 
and imjnoving fruits, vegetables and crop plants of many 
sorts. Their highly developed plant types may prove of 
gr('at value to us, fitting into climatic, soil, and economic 
needs we have hitherto been unable to meet. The cx- 
padilion, therefore, will work ujion the jilan which the 
Department has lieen follow iifg for several years in its 
Latin American explorations—in place of covering a 
wide range of territory, devoting but little time to any 
giv('ii s(*(*liou and its crop plants, a iiermanant base will 
be ('stablisbad in some conveniently located plac(\ and 
critical studies will be made of plants found there, jiot 
alone w ith a view to securing seeds or jiropagating ma- 
l('iial, but also to obtain information wdiicb may b(i used 
to str('nglb('n our agricultural and horticultural indus- 
1 1 i('s g('n('rally. 
I'kiragi' crops and cereals of value are likely to be 
lound in Alanchuria, and the soy la'an, wdiich has in 
i('C('nt years liacoiiK' an imjiortant crop in the United 
Slal('s, will lie studied carefully, with a view to secur¬ 
ing new' varieties of promise. From northern China, 
several hardy, drought-resistant shade and windbreak 
trees have already been introduced into this country. 
These have show n themselves capable of grow ing in re¬ 
gions w here few other shade trees prosper, and it is ex- 
jx'cted that the present ('xpedition w ill result in the in- 
1 reduction of numerous similar trees of value lor tin' 
Great Plains region. Wild fruit tix'cs, or wild relatives 
of fruits cidtivated in the Unit('(l States, w ill be obtaim'd 
for the use of breeders now at work on the jirobh'in of 
s('curing hardy fruits for regions of extremely cold, dry 
winters; while other speci('s of the same general char¬ 
acter may jirove valuable as root-stocks on w hich to giaft 
our cultivated fruits. Just as Aiiiyf/dalus davidiana from 
iKuthern China has already done. 
Special attention will be given to the study and col¬ 
lection of highly developed fiuit and nut crops, such as 
the bush cherries, jujubes, persimmons, pears, peaches, 
plums and chestnuts. The Department has made a num¬ 
ber of introductions of the (Ibinese hairy chestnut, a 
promising species. It is blight r('sislanl, lends itself to 
orchard culture and furnishes a nut closely resembling 
that of our native species. Ut) to the iiresent bowawer, 
seeds only have been introduced, and seedlings do not 
come true. An elfort wall be made to secure grafting 
wood of numerous fine varieties known to exist to the 
north of Peking. 
These are a few^ of the lines of w ork w hich the North¬ 
eastern China Expedition will undertake to carry out 
during the next year or two. The co-operation of the ag- 
I'icultural experts of Nanking University and other insti¬ 
tutions in China will be secured to the fullest extent 
jiossible, and it is expected that American missionaries, 
who have always been helpful to this Deiiarlment, will 
assist in making the work of the expedition a success. 
New- and promising varieties of fruits, forage plants, cer¬ 
eals and other crops which are discovered by the expedi¬ 
tion will be brought to the attention of local agricultur¬ 
ists and horticulturists, so that China may prolit by the 
work as fully as the United States. It is planned in 
fact, to make this a mutually beneficial agricultural ex- 
})loration of northeastern China—one of the oldest agri¬ 
cultural regions in the world. 
Wilson Popenoe, 
In Plant Emigrants No. 217, U. S. D. of x\. 
NEW FLORISTS CLUB 
The newly organized Aurora Florists Club held its 
third meeting on Tuesday evening, September 2n(l, at 
w liich time the follow ing ()flic('rs ;iiul trustees w ere elect- 
('(I for the coming year: 
President, Peter Freeman. 
Mr. Freeman is a well-known llorist throughout the 
entire country, having been in business all bis life and in 
Aurora, Ilk, for the last twenty-two years, (bwoting bis 
time to the grow ing and retail business. 
Yice-])resident, J. M. Smeb'y. 
Mr. Smeb'y needs no introduction to the tlorists of the 
country as he has been activ(' in the florist business all 
his life and in Aurora for the last tw'enty-s('ven years, 
both growing and retailing. 
Secretary, Thomas Cahill. 
Mr. Cahill is a member of the firm of Cahill & Roth, 
W'ho bought out the retail interest of the xAurora Green¬ 
house about one year ago. Mr. Cahill is well known. 
