Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 191, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1915 — CHINESE TREES [ARTICLE]

CHINESE TREES

Fruit and Ornamental Tree* Introduced From Far Eaet Will Probably Prove Economically Important In Their New Environment.' That the climate of eastern China 1* Similar to that of eastern North America seems to be the reason for the success which has attended the Introduction of many Chinese plants into this country; at least, this 1s the opinion of the specialist In the United States Department of Agrlcultlon of this office, which lists seeds ture’s Office of Foreign Seed and and plants Imported during the fall of 1912, a definite report is given on the growth of 79 different Importations from China, most of which may be termed successful. Plant Introductions from foreign countries are distributed by the office until sufficient time has elapsed to give some indication of their possibilities in this country. A maple which grows 70 feet high, whose leaves turn a golden yellow In autumn, is one «C the ornamental trees introduced from China of which something may be expected. A Chinese elm particularly adapted for dry sections for wind-break purposes has proven very satisfactory and will be more generally Introduced. A pine tree and a Chinese butternut also have grown well here. It Is hoped that these all may prove as ornamental and useful as the gingko tree (also known as the maiden-hair fern tree), which has grown so well along a number of the streets of our national capital. A peach which bears an edible fruit containing a smooth stone (som'ethlng quite unknown hitherto among our peaches) has been brought from China, and may be used tl improve our commercial peach. A tree that grows In roadside thickets In parts of China bears a fine variety of quince, golden on one side and reddish on the other. This also has done well In its new environment. So have a new hazelnut bush bearing large nuts, and three new varieties of holly. The adaptability of the Chinese wood-oil tree for cultivation In northern Florida seems to have been proven by recent experiments. A tree at Tallahassee, Florida, bore two bushels of the fruit last season. In addition to being an economically important tree, it is a decidedly ornamental one. It bears clusters of white flowers with reddish-yellow centers, and in full bloom resembles a catalpa. Chinese plants are not the only ones that have been doing well in the Department of Agriculture’s garden for foreign plants. Others from the West Indies, Australia, Spain, South America, Hawaii ans the Philippines are showing interesting possibilities. Interested experimenters may receive further information about these trees and plants by addressing the office of Foreign Plant and Seed Introduction, U. S, Department of Agriculture, at Washington, D. C.