ch'ien-t'ang river 183 



the river extending as far back as one or two 

 miles before reaching the ranges of moun- 

 tains which were always in full view. The 

 crop on this bank was principally wheat. 

 In some places the fields were bordered on 

 one side by the shore of the river and the 

 wheat was cultivated near to the water. It 

 was then about three inches high and looked 

 very promising. In some of these wheat 

 fields, dotting here and there, were oak 

 groves the trees of which were of uniform 

 size, not large, but tall and appeared to 

 receive special attention from the natives. 

 The plains were not so wide on the left bank, 

 and it was on this bank that we observed 

 that rice was mostly cultivated. The 

 mountains were, as a rule, nearer to the 

 river, and the narrow plains between them 

 were selected to grow rice. 



There were large paper industries near 

 some of the cities and towns we passed or 

 visited, and the natives in the country seem- 

 ed to be also engaged in making paper. The 

 product which we saw was a coarse, brown 

 material and which we understood was 

 shipped in large quantities to far off markets. 

 When the sun was shining bright and warm 

 sheets of this paper were spread on the sides 



