QUEST OF FLOWER TREASURES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10595, 26 October 1910, Page 6

QUEST OF FLOWER TREASURES.

i AipoLd tmedal hasibeen. awarded-.by "the Royal Horticultural Society for an exhibit of new plants raised at Aldenham House, Herts, from seeds sent home from China and shown by the iHon.: Vicarv Gibbs.' "• ; Thte'story'of .these Avoiiderful plants, hitlierto 'unknown to botanists, is of a romantic character. The seeds ivere collected by the distinguished botanist, !Mr'; .E. ■ H; Wilson, who travelled through N6rthe#n- and Western China, oil behalf of Mr Vicary Gibbs and some American horticulturists, in search of new treasures of the. flower kingdom arid plant life. . ... ' His wanderings, led liim into wild districts df- 1 China" never visited. by Europeans'."' He "made friends,' arid m some cases had to avoid the enemity of the Chinese hill tribes. He suffered ■msiny' hardships and perils. With his caravan of twenty-five guides and carriers he r climbed great and unexplored .mountains, riiade his way through vast 'virgin forests, and lived among uncivr:lised"Chiriamen in the most remote and ■ desolate regions of that'great Empire. He had"no other object but the discovery of new plants; lie risked his life and health because thiit ambition led him onwards and lured- him into the i wildest spots, and' hife toil was rewarded with the discoverv of an"immense number; (at least. 1000) of new and rare , plants'. - . • One'of Mr-Wilson's first, .great journeys was : through the Chin-ting-shan region, near the big ; Chantu Plain, where the range-was clothed with a dense 'jungle' and" brushwood. Descending to this valley, he crossed over-to the territory of one of the semi-independent .tribes, and obtained the friendship of the chief, wlib allowed him to traverse his country freely. This region was .preyiously unknown botariically, and Mr Wilson found many new' specimens. Reaching the Chinese City or Tuan, the traveller, after a rest, crossed the iriver : arid for -25 days cut his' way througli ' to'' : Tatieh-lu, traversing- trie territories .of several tribes who own but a .'shftdowj' allegiance to the Emperor of China and live in barbaric liberty. The roads 'were but tracks, ,ahd- ■ crossed great : ranges -rising ,to 15,OOOfi;, where the scenery is described by - him. as "wild and entrancing." For many, days h'e_ was in the silence, and the beauty of the great virgin woods 'andy with axes, his _ companions hewed - their way through the undergrowth, sleeping at night "under magnificent birches, with a rich orange bark, which grow- to a. Height of lUUit... and have a gigantic girth. , , In another journey Mr Wilson, passed through' tfie wilderness behind" Mounts Omi and Wa, and in the savage scenery of the steep cliffs and crags found many •new treasures. On the; lower rfinges - ichkrcOal -' Urirners 'have-"destroyfea- all'.the forest, leaving in; its place a dense jiingle of shrubs. But from /Ow to 10,000 feet Mr Wilson found an absolutely- impenetrable forest of bamboos. . : Wet-through day after day, with bedding.'and 5 clot&in'g drenched, sleeping in :'tHfe v; 3 l irtY' ! lhit¥ v bf" : 'the Chinese charcoal ''nightSj and enveloped by dense ntists^Mr-;;Wilson found his journeywas.'not one'Of pleasure; out in the interests' BB?. science he climbed, the : mountairi^.%'f? ? Wi-'Wu, unvisited previously-' and- r of which for- 4000 ! feet^on.four sites.the walls are sheer liltc those, ofa.'vast rock-fortress. On Mount AV ah e" found, among other wondfeMril"'prant?/S ' Variety of Lonicera ihispa&a, ;witli ; 'enormously large Sowers, creamy yellow in color, and some plants with., rich maroon flo.wers and scarlet fruits over a foot in length. , As the result of these wanderings in China; Mr. Wilson sent 1000 different varieties of-Seed to Mr ~Vicary Gibbs, , and; underffthe 'directioir-;'of Mr ildwm I Beckett; ttits tfell-kiioHvn' Horticulturist, who superintends the great gardens at 1 Aldcnliam House in, Hertfordshire, no thaii-- 700 varieties have been raised into'.liardy ands thriving plants. : This is a record success. They were shown to a Daily- • Chronicle representai tive by Mr Beckett, and the collection is of a most-interesting and astonishing kind.i A great many forms, of Chinese blackberry, are growing in profusion jn' i these gardens, and one which is already fruiting-is especially peculiar-because of its large white .fibrous fruit. • It was tasted by ...the pressman, \.\ ho -found if sweet ari<l ? pleasing- to the-palate. ! -One interesting plant pointed out was '■ aChmeseTuhber -tree, which grows to a great size arid'should give a rich sap. Here,-perhaps,- is a new source of fortune in rubber. >A Clnnese variety J of ime 1 Judas tree, hanged himself," a plant called Paulowinaj -v. wrth-vgiante? ,-leaves, a Chinese horse chestnut, a great tulip tree; Chinese- vines- growing;-most luxuriantly, and an lm'mense number of new plants blooming already with flowers that, have never before! beerivseen J ill'- the" i Western •"Wo'rld : "(and^lsurden-ed--WT.tb}names-.that would terrifyi- all but have Veen successfully T.rearedj;in Mr Vic.ary Gibbs' 'garden', v -ftom- tli6' iseeHs -which '■ Were' Secured on thei'Sdveriturous -journeys of Mr Wilson. ■ - j