825 
written by T'ao Yuan Ming between A. D. 365-427, describ- 
ing how a fisherman got lost one- day and penetrating up a 
river finds himself In a creek bordered with many peach 
trees full of bloom, at the end of which he comes upon a 
small mountain in which Is a. cave which he traverses and, 
enters on a new country where there is every sign of pros- 
perity, every one is courteous to each other-, kindliness 
and contentment prevail, but they wear the garb of the 
times of the First Emporer some five centuries previous 
and have been lost to the rest of the country ever since. 
The fisherman returns after a sojourn with them, and tells 
his fellow villagers of this wonderful country and stirs 
up so much interest that finally the governor of the prov^- 
ince joins in the search for this wonderful country, but 
it is all of no avail and at last the fisherman realizes 
that he will never more see the peach blossom days of his 
youth with its' rosy dreams and ideals that come but once 
in a lifetime. " 
Palestine, Zicron Jacob. Mr. Aaron Aaronsohn writes 
March 2, 1915: "In reply to your letter of Jan. 9, asking 
for seeds and cuttings of Primus ursina I am sorry to say 
that at this time it is entirely impossible to think of 
going up to the Mount Hermon for botanical and agricultur- 
al purposes. We are doing practically no work worth men- 
tioning owing to circumstances entirely independent of our 
good will. Corresponding is practically impossible now 
and you will excuse us for our long silence." 
Italy. Rome. Dr. Gustav Eisen writes March 12, 1915: 
"I expect to leave here on the steamer Stampalia March 
24th. I have prepared a 'Notes on Italian Fruits', with 
principal references to those in the Roman markets, etc., 
which I will send you from New York, expecting to finish 
copying it on the steamer. There are dozens of varieties 
which I should like to have sent the Department, such as 
the large Syracusa blood orange, Cerina apple, Posele and 
Crisomele dl Soma, etc. The Limoncella apple Is the same 
as the one you have seen. There are however two vari- 
eties, exactly alike in quality, but different in size and 
time of maturity. One is the Mela Limoncella proper and 
the other Rosmarlna di Napoli. The latter is a trifle 
larger and does not last quite so long into the winter. 
That is as far as I can learn at present. I have seen 
both and that is what I have been told. But as you know, 
the names of fruits in Italy are somewhat uncertain and 
those who know are few and far between. So far I have not 
come across anyone in Rome who could give me the Infor- 
mation wanted, and all the literature I have consulted 
