Recently, more than 10 experts from the Henan Provincial
Geological Survey Institute began an ecological geochemistry survey
on the shallow overburden of the Yiluo River valley of Luoyang,
central China’s Henan
Province. The survey is to find out the internal relationship
of the plantation of peony and other distinctive agricultural
products and the local soil and other natural conditions, so as to
work out a basement of references for the development of the Luonan
New Area in Luoyang.
Peony, whose plantation in Luoyang has a history of 2,000 years,
boasts more than 1,000 varieties in this particular location. Now,
more than 75,000 hectares of land in Luoyang has been designated as
peony plantation area.?
Luoyang peony enjoys a worldwide reputation. Out of the 1,000
peony varieties, about 100 are peculiar to Luoyang. When these
varieties are planted in other places, they either grow with
difficulties, giving poor blossoms, or refuse to grow.
What is even more amazing is that peony transplanted from
Luoyang to other places must have the soil from Luoyang to go with
it. It illustrates the fact that the soil of Luoyang is an
exclusive soil to certain varieties of peony. But, the secret has
not yet been unveiled.
Last year, the Henan provincial government submitted to the
China Geological Survey Bureau (CGS) of the Ministry of Land and
Resources seven agricultural geological survey programs concerning
the province’s seven cities. Among them, the ecological
geochemistry survey on the shallow overburden of the Yiluo River
valley of Luoyang was chosen as a state-supported program. This is
so far the first geological survey project to be carried out in
Henan.
In addition to the urban Luoyang City, the survey will also
cover counties of Luoning, Yiyang, Xin’an, Mengjin and Yanshi,
involving a total area of about 6,500 square kilometers and with a
total investment of 6.5 million yuan (US$785,000). The Henan
Provincial Geological Survey Institute has undertaken the project,
which is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, August 3, 2003)