352 MR. $. T. DUNN: A BOTANICAL 
remained, particularly as it lay near the centre of the province and far from 
any previously explored parts. 
Before moving from the town the previous collections were carefully sorted 
and a rough key drawn up for each genus represented. This work was 
greatly facilitated by а method which had been adopted of laying each plant 
in the presses on a sheet of paper provided with a projecting tag bearing the 
proper ordinal and the generic numbers, so that any desired genus could be 
easily found without opening all the presses. 
Although this occupied several days they were well spent, and the key 
proved of the greatest value in distinguishing new forms from those already 
collected, especially in such critical genera as Jwrya, Actinidia or Carex, 
where it is difficult to carry in the memory while in the field, specific 
differences which may be obvious enough when the plants are laid side by 
side in the herbarium. This key was kept up to date by the addition of new 
species as they were subsequently found. 
I then sent two collectors up to Shao Wu in the west of the province and 
left one man in charge of our base, while I, with my wife, who accompanied 
me throughout, and one collector, took up our quarters in a new Chinese 
cottage (any one who has travelled in China will understand the necessity of 
finding a house, previously uninhabited by Chinese peasants) in the small 
hamlet of Buong Kang, about half a day’s march from Yenping, and in the 
centre of one of the largest patches of virgin forest on the Yenping 
mountains. 
The forest is traversed by the high road from Yenping to Yenkau, which 
here runs up a valley by a flight of several thousand rough stone steps leading 
high above the village to a pass known as Sang Chien Bah Beh Kang or pass 
of 3800 steps. The valley in its lower part is clothed with dense woods with 
occasional clearings for bamboo and other cultivation, but, half way up, the 
rocks close in on both sides and make a narrow mouth through which the 
stream pours in a series of cascades far below the road, while the cliffs tower 
up several hundred feet above it. It is just above this romantie spot that 
Buong Kang is situated. Above the hamlet the road is bordered nearly to 
the top with huge trees of Liquidambar, Chestnut, Camphor, and Photinia. 
During the three weeks spent here Г succeeded in penetrating to all parts 
of the lower and middle forest, though in some places the almost impenetrable 
undergrowth and in others frequent precipices rendered the work slow ; in 
some of the thickest portions torrent beds afforded the only means of progress, 
and it was along the banks of these, under the shade of overarching trees, that 
some of the most interesting species were found. А few days sufticed for the 
exploration of the grassy downs above the level of the woods. Each day's 
collections were sent down in the evening to be dried at Yenping and the 
species added to the key. In this way the number of distinguishable species 
