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Show oo NEW FRUITS AND FLOWERS FOR UTAH. Our experts In plant Iffo have made long trips to the interior of China, searching for shrubs, vines and trees to bo brought to this country. One explorer walked 1500 miles to the borders bor-ders of Tibet, to obtain rare plants. In a district similar in climatic condition con-dition to that of Utah, the jujube tree was found, the fruit of which is do-scribed do-scribed as brownish, and delicious when fresh and when dried a confection confec-tion similar In taste to the Persian date. It can withstand cold, drouth and neglect. The district in which It is productive in China is a semlarid belt where winter temperatures do not go much below zero Fahrenheit This indicates that it would be of particular value to California, Arizona Ari-zona and Utah. Already, several thousand seedlings have been grown at tho plant introduction garden at Chico, California, and some of these have borne desirable fruit, which confirms con-firms the experimenters In their belief be-lief that this tree may contribute a new fruit industry. Other plants brought over are treated treat-ed on as follows: "The wild peach discovered In China, Chi-na, and now brought to this country for the first time, Is considered of great Interest although Its fruit la not desirable. Investigation In its native habitat showed that the roots of this plant are not as susceptible as our native peach to alkali in the soil, while it will withstand cold and does not require much moisture. Experiments Experi-ments are under way, therefore, to determine de-termine the usefulness of tho root-stock root-stock of this peach for grafting with different hardy American varieties. If success is achieved, the specialists believe that they can develop peach trees which will make possible tho raising of peaches in the Southwestern Southwest-ern or alkaline sections, and at tho same time offer possibilities of peach cultivation in many droughty and cold regions. "Of special interest are the collections collec-tions of aquatic lood plants. These Include water chestnuts, water nuts, and a number of aquatic bulbs, as well as the water bamboo. The Chinese, the explorer found, have mastered through centuries of experiments tho process of using swamp lands for tho raising of food crops, and their success suc-cess is believed to point to commercial commer-cial possibilities for some" of our swamp regions where reclamation by drainage is not practicable. "In selecting Chinese vegetables for Introduction the explorer was greatly limited by the fact that many articles favored by Mongolian palates would be unpleasant to Caucasians. He has sent over, therefore, only those things which promise to add valuable vegetables vege-tables or fruits to the American table, and also which fit In with a general plan for the Introduction of certain food crop3 which will find a ready market among our Chinese populations. popula-tions. Tho Chinese, in many cases, are importing largo quantities of favorite fav-orite native foods In canned or dried form from China because they TInd difficulty in getting them in a fresh state In our larger cities. Some of tho vegetables brought over which promise to find a dual market are a number of varieties of vegetable bamboo bam-boo and Improved varieties of potsal, the odorless Chinese cabbage, some kinds of which already are on sale as 'celery cabbage' in American markets. mar-kets. This cabbage is suitable for cooking or for cold slaw and can bo grown wherever ordinary cabbage is raised. "This and other explorations have given to this country a Chinese cherry, cher-ry, very sucessful in California because be-cause of its early maturity; and a number of varieties of wild pears and apples, wild almonds, and hardy clt-niB clt-niB fruits. "To lovers of flowers, tho new Chinese Chi-nese rose known as tho Rosa xanthina should be of special interest, particularly particu-larly In view of the fact that thoro Is at present a great demand for yellow roses. This bush has small, light yellow yel-low tlowers, but its great quality is Its hardiness which will enablo it to flourish, but its great quality is its hardiness which will enablo it to flourish in tho north oven as far as Canada. Tho chief promiso of this rose, however, lies In tho fact that it will la.rI.-aab&LjHty lead to the production pro-duction of new hardy types of yellow roses adapted cultivation in America. Amer-ica. It mar produce varieties which will not drop their leaves like our Porslan yellow roses do and yield varieties var-ieties with larger and. more showv flowers. In addition, tho explorer found a number of new rambler roses particularly certain yellow ramblers which, Jf locally successful, will meet .a demand for a climbing rose with a flower differing in shade from tho crimson and pink flowers of the well known rambler varieties." |