THE GRAFTED JUJUBE OF CHINA A Deciduous Hardy Fruit Tree That Flowers so Late in the Spring That Its Blooms Are Never Caught by the Frost DAVID FAIRCHILD Agricultural Explorer in Charge of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

HE word jujube is connected various public parks and door yards, Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/9/1/3/2186793 by guest on 02 October 2021 in the public mind with jujube which doubtless are the result of early T paste and jujube lozenges, which introductions, through missionaries in formerly were in vogue as a cough China, the importation of the large remedy. These lozenges often had noth- fruited, grafted Chinese varieties was ing whatever to do with the jujube, be- only begun in 1906. ing made of gum arabic and sugar. While some of the early introduced Trie Chinese jujube is practically a seeds have now grown into large sized newly discovered fruit tree, so far as trees and borne crops of small fruits American agriculture is concerned; for which are of good flavor, these fruits although there are seedling jujubes in have been too small to attract the seri-

JUJUBE TKEE WEIGHTED DOWN WITH FRUIT Nearby view of a jujube tree in the test orchard at the U. S. Plant Introduction Field Station. Chico, California. The limbs and main branches of the tree are weighted down with fruit. There has not been a single failure of a crop of jujubes at the station since the trees were old enough to bear fruit something over six years ago. Photograph by P. H. Dorsett, Oct. 1917. (Fig. 1.) Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/9/1/3/2186793 by guest on 02 October 2021

JUJUBE TREE BEARING BEFORE OiNE YEAR OLD A young jujube plant in nursery row, produced from a bench graft of January, 1917. This small tree less than a year old is bearing a very good crop of fine large fruit. This plant is especially interesting for the reason that the fruit is borne on hard wood branches that are not deciduous; while generally on older trees the fruit is born on slender deciduous branches of the current season's growth. Photograph by P. H. Dorsett, Oct. 1917. Chico gardens. (Fig. 2.) ous attention of horticulturists. With In New England, or regions with cool the bearing in this country of the large summers, it makes a very slow growth; fruited Chinese varieties, which were in- whereas in northern California, where troduced in 1906, the jujube appears in the thermometer goes to 120°F., it grows quite a different light—one worthy of rapidly. No weather appears to be too the serious consideraton of amateur and hot for it, and so far as resistance to cold practical horticulturists living in those is concerned, it has withstood tempera- regions where they can be grown suc- tures of 22° F. below zero without injury. cessfully. Just how much lower winter tempera- The claims of this new fruit tree may tures it will withstand, has not yet been be briefly stated as follows, judging from determined. The range of territory, the limited experience which this Office however, over which it is likely to prove has had with it in various parts of the a success as a fruit tree, will be probably country, but without any pretence of limited more by the warmth and length being a complete statement of its possi- of the summer season than by the sever- bilities, of which it is one of the objects ity of the winter. The whole southwest, of the distribution of plants to find out: with the exception of the elevated areas The jujube is a medium-sized spiny where cold summer nights occur and tree which grows to be forty or more those portions of the Mississippi Valley, years old. Its rate of growth depends where the humidity and rainfall are not upon the climate in which it is grown.* too great, as well as the drier portions Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/9/1/3/2186793 by guest on 02 October 2021

FRUITING BRANCH OF THE MELTING JUJUBE This variety is known in China under the name ' 'Lang tsao." Frank N. Meyer who intro- duced it says that it might be called "The melting jujube." The fruit when ripe is crisp and pleasing to the taste. The trees bear heavily and the fruit are excellent when processed. No. 22686 natural size. Photograph by P. H. Dorsett, Oct. 1917. (Fig. 3.) Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/9/1/3/2186793 by guest on 02 October 2021

DECIDUOUS FLOWERING BRANCHES Showing deciduous flowering branches of the jujube natural size. Prom a tree in the test orchard at the U. S. Plant Introduction Field Station, Chico, CaL, May, 1916. Photograph by P. H. Dorsett. (Fig. 4.) of the Atlantic Coast states, appear have grown well, but fruited sparingly promising regions in which to test the and irregularly. In Georgia, old seed- jujube. It enjoys brilliant sunshine, dry ling jujubes have fruited well. weather, and long, intensely hot sum- The trees have the characteristic mers, and although it will form good habit of starting into growth slowly in sized trees under other conditions, it the spring, which protects them from late appears to require these climatic factors spring frosts. The flowers are produced to make it fruit early in its life, regularly, on the new growth of slender branches, and abundantly. and in this respect the jujube resembles As regards soil conditions, it appears the grape; with this difference, however, to withstand slight amounts of alkali and the new bearing canes of the grape are to grow with special vigor on the loess, not deciduous; whereas the slender or wind drifted soil formations of China. bearing twigs of the jujube as a rule As this formation composes large areas fall after the first hard frosts, and soon of north-western Iowa, it might be after the leaves have fallen. tested there, though the climate may The peach, almond and apricot prove too severe for it. Under irriga- bloom in northern California in Feb- tion in northern California, and without ruary and March whereas the Chinese irrigation in central Texas, the trees jujube blooms in May and June when have grown luxuriantly and fruited all danger from frost is long over. Only abundantly. In the warm humid sum- those who have lost a fruit crop from mer region of Maryland, seedling trees frost can appreciate the advantage of Fairchild: The Grafted Jujube of China this late blooming habit. Since trees in Europeans in China have persistently California and Texas first fruited, over confused them with the fruit of the date six years ago, they have never failed to palm. produce good crops. The preparation of candied jujubes is The fruits of the wild jujube, which a simple culinary process consisting of are produced in great abundance, are boiling the ripe fruits for two hours in a only about one-half inch in diameter, thick syrup consisting of one pound of but some of the grafted Chinese varie- granulated sugar to one-half cupful of ties are as large as the French prune. hot water. Three pounds of jujubes They have a curious way of ripening, are put into this syrup in a low preserv- which gives a mottled appearance to the ing kettle and boiled slowly for two Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/9/1/3/2186793 by guest on 02 October 2021 half ripe fruit. Brown spots appear hours, and are then lifted out with a upon the perfectly green fruit and these strainer and dried in the sun or in a spread gradually until the}' meet and the heated oven. Some of the methods in whole fruit becomes chestnut brown. use in China are more complicated than Shortly after the fruits turn brown they the above, honey being used as well as begin to shrivel and lose their crispness sugar, and they make a better product. and become spongy. These dried juju- Mr. Frank N. Meyer, who has seen bes form an important article of com- the process in China, reports that the merce in China, and deserve to be practice is to dry the jujube fruits, and studied here. to boil them three different times in When not over-ripe the jujubes have a sugar syrup, and afterwards in honey and sweet delicate flavor, quite unlike any sugar. Then, by slashing the skins af- other fruit, and a texture and crispness ter the second boiling with a special tool, which reminds one of a crabapple. One which cuts the skin into narrow longi- becomes fond of them even though they tudinal strips, a remarkable confection cannot be said to compare with other is produced which is comparable with fresh fruits like the pear or apple. The the best Algerian or Persian Gulf date. ripe fruit contains a high per cent of What will be the fate of the Chinese cane sugar—as much as 20%. grafted jubube in America it is impos- sible to predict, but it has shown its It is as a prepared or candied fruit possibilities to hundreds of American that the jujube deserves to be most ser- horticulturists and their ingenuity and iously considered by American horticul- enterprise may be depended upon to turists, for when processed as they are develop its culture in the big compre- by the Chinese, they compare favorably hensive way in which they have de- with the Persian date in flavor and pala- veloped the grape fruit, the olive, the tability, and to the unobserving, they date, the avocado and other fruits might be mistaken for dates; in fact new to America.

An Outline of Applied Sociology OUTLINE OF APPLIED SOCIOLOGY, as far as its leaders are concerned, by Henry Pratt Fairchild, Ph.D., assistant professor of the science of society in Yale makes no extreme claims, nor ad- University. Pp. 353, price SI.75. New York, vocates policies which it is not pre- the Macmillan Company, 66 Fifth avenue, pared to support. In this it differs 1916. diametrically from feminism. Eu- Dr. Fairchild discusses eugenics and genics is thoroughly scientific." Dr. feminism together in a chapter en- Fairchild is probably open to the criti- titled "Revolutionary Schemes." He cism of construing eugenics too nar- sees much value in such work as the rowly; as a fact, most of the hundred elimination of the feebleminded, but pages he devotes to questions of the thinks constructive eugenics will ap- family and population may be said to peal least to those who need it most. deal with eugenics. This part of the "It must be observed, however," he work will be of great value to eugenists, says, "that the eugenics movement, for it is clear, sensible, and interesting.