1979 
The material available is very limited and must be handled with 
great care to insure its establishment and utilization for seed pro- 
duction, breeding work, and other purposes. One of the first problems 
will be to determine the susceptibility or non-susceptibility of these 
new introductions to blight. This will require careful experimental 
work extending over several years. 
Mr, Rock began collecting chestnuts in August, 1922, and continued 
through the months of September, October, November, and December of that 
year. He also collected one lot in the autumn of 1923. All the nuts 
were carefully packed but were subjected to a long and hazardous journey 
lasting from five weeks to two and a half months. Owing to the danger 
of introducing new crop pests, the nuts were further subjected to a se- 
vere trial through certain treatments it was found necessary to give them 
on their arrival. The 24 numbers secured by Mr. Rock probably repre- 
sent six different species, four being Castaneas or chestnuts, and two 
Caetanopsis. Eleven of the lots introduced are now growing but have not 
advanced beyond the small seedling stage. The following notes on them 
are submitted: 
55984. CASTANEA sp. The nuts of this chestnut were collected 
in September, 1922, and received in Washington November 21, 1922. The 
trees were found wild in the valleys of the Haitung Range at an alti- 
tude of about 8,000 feet. The nuts are of large size, being about 
twice as large as our native American chestnut. According to Mr. Rock, 
the nuts are sweet and of a delicious flavor. This chestnut appears to 
be related to C. mollissima, or hairy chestnut, found in eastern China and 
which has been introduced several times. This chestnut is one of the 
most promising Chinese types. It is resistant to blight and furnishes 
a good edible nut. The tree begins to bear early and lends itself well 
to orchard culture. The seedlings from Mr. Rock's introduction appear 
hardy as far north as Washington, D. C. 
56081. castanea sp. Seeds collected in September, 1922, and re- 
ceived December 6, 1922. The tree, according to Mr. Rock, grows to a 
height of 50 feet and has a straight trunk 1 to 2k feet in diameter. 
The nuts were collected at an altitude of 8,200 feet. The tree is 
said to be healthy. The nuts are sweet and delicious and are larger 
than the usual run of Mr. Rock's Castaneas. They are about two-thirds 
the size of our native American chestnut but shaped something like 
large kidney beans. 
56130. castanea sp. This chestnut was collected in the vicinity 
of Tengyueh, Yunnan, in October, 1922, and received in Washington in 
December, 1922. It is a small nut, resembling somewhat our native 
chinquapin. We have no data as to the size and character of the trees. 
The leaves of our seedlings are 3 to 4 inches long, light green above 
and silvery gray below. The edges of the leaves are smooth, apex long 
and narrowly tapering. 
