IN SEARCH OF NEW PLANTS. 213 



had not been yet formally opened, and the chances of getting 

 there were few and not to be neglected. I was therefore glad of 

 the opportunity, and sailed for the Yang-tse-Kiang on the 13th 

 of November. As we approached Shanghae, we seemed to have 

 got into a new country. The mountainous scenery had entirely 

 disappeared, and even from the top of our highest mast there 

 was not a hill seen to bound the distant horizon — all in view was 

 one flat level plain. This is what is called the valley of the 

 Yang-tse-Kiang, and is the great northern Nankin cotton dis- 

 trict. The land is a deep rich loam, and is without doubt the 

 finest in China, if not in the world. 



In a country like this, which is everywhere flat and cultivated, 

 it was not expected that I could find very many wild plants. 

 Two, however, were met with, which have since attracted a con- 

 siderable share of notice in England. I allude to Cryptomeria 

 japonica, and Anemone japonica. The latter was found, when 

 in full flower, amongst the graves of the Chinese, which are 

 round the ramparts of the city. It blooms in November, when 

 other flowers have gone by, and is a simple and beautiful orna- 

 ment to the last resting-places of the dead. If the number of 

 wild flowers in this district was few, they were well made up 

 by those which I afterwards found in gardens and nurseries. 

 From the number of flower-shops in the city, which at this 

 season were filled with Chrysanthemums, I was quite certain 

 that there must be somewhere in the vicinity nurseries for their 

 cultivation, but the great difficulty was to find them out. Tlie 

 Chinese here, who knew little or nothing of us except as their 

 conquerors, Avere frightened and jealous, and would give no in- 

 formation on the subject. They always suspected that I had 

 some other object in view than simply collecting the plants of 

 their country. At that time I could not speak a word of the 

 language ; and my servant, who was brought up from the pro- 

 vince of Canton, was equally at fault, so that every thing was 

 up-hill work with us. However, by examining every hole and 

 corner of the city and suburbs, and sometimes getting the boys, 

 who were less jealous than the rest, to assist us, we discovered 

 several nurseries which contained large collections of plants, 

 many of which were quite new and very ornamental. I was 

 also much assisted by H. M. Consul, Captain Balfour, who was 

 always ready and willing to aid me in my pursuits. Amongst 

 other things, a very valuable collection of Tree pceonies was ob- 

 tained at this time. 



It was now the depth of winter, and as vegetation was leaf- 

 less, it was impossible to make any thing like a complete collect 

 tion until the following year, when the plants would be covered 

 with leaves and flowers. I therefore packed up the things which 



