Fruit is neither particularly abundant nor excellent in this part of China; the great variety of oranges may be regarded the best, as also the elegant scarlet Lit, chi (_Dimocarpus litchi_). There is another fruit, of which also there are several varieties—it is a _Diospyrus_,—(the _Diospyrus Kaki_?[14]) or Chinese date plum. One of the varieties known by the Chinese under the name of Ngnow, sum, tzee, or bull’s heart Diospyrus—(Ngnow signifying bull; sum, heart; tzee, this particular fruit, the Diospyrus)—resembles, in external appearance, a Tomata, except in being of a larger size, and of a bright red colour: when divided, it is found to contain a yellowish semi-transparent pulp, not unlike a plum either in flavour or appearance, and contains several oblong brownish seeds. The outer skin has an astringent property, which discolours the steel of a knife when employed to divide the fruit, which is not at all requisite for the purpose. The other kind is much smaller, oval, about the size of a date; being similar to the former in colour; it is called by the Chinese Kai, sum, tzee, or fowl’s heart Diospyrus: in taste it closely resembles the mawkish sweetness of a ripe date. I had only an opportunity of seeing two of the varieties of this fruit, but there are several other kinds.[15] The flat peach, or “Peen to” (peen signifying flat, and to, peach) of the Chinese, is a variety of the peach, appearing, although in reality of a perfectly natural form, to have had its flatness produced by artificial means. The blossoms of the tree are double, but fertile. The fruit is described as being of an excellent flavour. The canes, so much valued, and sold usually at a high price, and known by the name of the _Wang, hee_, (Wang signifying yellow, and hee, root,) are said to be the root of the narrow-leaved bamboo, which grows abundantly about Macao, forming very pretty hedges or inclosures: these are valuable and rare, on account of the sufficiently straight descending roots being difficult to procure; many trees must consequently be destroyed before those particular roots of the requisite length and straightness can be obtained. The roots of this bamboo are very troublesome when planted, more especially in a garden, from spreading so far, and so much towards the surface of the ground, as to tear up the paths, &c.