IN SEARCH OF NEW PLANTS. 217 



noticed in the south is also common here : it seems to be an 

 exception to the general rule, being found over all the country, 

 and in every degree of latitude. The Cunninghamia sinensis is 

 also found in abundance ; and besides these there are several 

 species of Cypress and Jimiper found growing around the tombs 

 of the rich, which are scattered over the valleys and hill sides. 



The fruits of Chusan are of very little importance ; nearly all 

 the peaches, grapes, pears, plums, oranges, «&c., which are seen 

 in the summer season in the markets, are brought from the 

 mainland. There are two fruits, however, cultivated on the 

 island, which are of considerable excellence ; the one is called 

 by the Chinese Yang-mae ; it is a scarlet fruit not unlike an 

 Arbutus or Strawberry, but having a stone like a plum in its 

 centre ; the other is the Kum-quat, a small species of Citrus, 

 about the size of an oval gooseberry, with a sweet rind and a 

 sharp acid pulp. 



The new plants of the island were seen in flower this season 

 for the first time. Early in the spring the hill-sides were 

 covered with a beautiful Daphne with lilac flowers {Daphne 

 Fortuni), and the Azalea ovata, certainly one of the finest and 

 most distinct species which I have introduced. Weigela rosea, 

 one of the most beautiful shrubs of northern China, which was 

 first met with in the garden of a Mandarin near the city of 

 Tinghae on this island, was this spring loaded with its noble rose- 

 coloured flowers. Buddlea Lindleyana was also seen this year 

 in great perfection growing in the hedges on the hill-sides, often 

 side by side with the Glycine sinensis. 



Ningpo is about 40 miles west from Chusan, and is situated on 

 the mainland. My visits here at different times during this 

 summer were attended with much less diflSculty than in the pre- 

 ceding autumn. I was now beginning to speak a little Chinese, 

 and was perfectly acquainted with the town, and the whole of the 

 places where the diflferent Mandarins' gardens and nurseries were 

 situated. This was of much importance, as I was able to save 

 so much time which used to be formerly spent in fruitless in- 

 quiries. The Mandarins were particularly inquisitive at this 

 time about every thing which related to the movements of the 

 English, or other foreigners, who were likely to establish them- 

 selves at their port ; and as we were able to keep up a conversa- 

 tion in Chinese, I soon found that my frequent visits were very 

 agreeable to them. The nurserymen too, having found, I sup- 

 pose, that my money was as valuable to them as that which they 

 received from their own countrymen, were no longer shy, but 

 most anxious to sell me any plants which I wanted. 



The gardens of the Mandarins, although small, were extremely 

 gay, particularly during the early months of the year; and, what 



