68 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



many districts, notably Yilung Hsien and in Tungchuan Fu. 

 Cotton is the one commodity that this region has to import, 

 and nearly all its surplus products go to meet this deficiency. 

 But, if cotton is very little grown, many kinds of hemp are 

 produced in quantity, though very little is used for textile 

 purposes. Silk production is everywhere an industry of import- 

 ance; and in many districts the staple. Only the very poorest 

 are without some silk garment, though such is only habitually 

 worn by the more wealthy. Tea is grown in many districts 

 both for local consumption and for export. In the more 

 westerly parts tea for the Thibetan market is a staple product. 

 Wood Oil and many other valuable economic trees are also 

 largely cultivated. Fruit is generally grown, including peaches, 

 apricots, plums, apples, pears, and oranges in variety. 

 Oranges thrive remarkably well in this red sandstone; and the 

 extensive orchards are a wonderful sight during the month of 

 December. Tangerine varieties are most generally cultivated, 

 and the fruit in season can be purchased at the rate of twelve 

 hundred or more for two shiUings ! The tight-skinned varieties 

 are less frequently grown, and are more expensive. Around 

 Lu Chou are plantations of Litchi trees. Wlien they came from 

 their original homes the settlers evidently brought with them 

 their favourite trees and grains and planted them around their 

 new homesteads. These introductions, and the favourable 

 climate, explain the presence of such a vast variety of culti- 

 vated plants, which is probably greater than that found in any 

 other province in China. 



The steeper and rougher country is covered with small woods 

 of Oak, Pine, and Cypress, elsewhere trees are confined to the 

 vicinity of streams, houses, temple-grounds, wayside shrines, 

 and tombs. 



The streams are navigable for extreme distances, and a 

 perfect network of roads traverse the basin in every direction. 

 These roads are, on the whole, well built for Chinese roads, but 

 are not kept in thorough repair any more than those elsewhere 

 in the land. The streams, however, are well supplied with 

 ferries, and well-built bridges, substantially constructed of 

 stone, and kept in good repair, are a feature throughout the 

 entire region. Large cities, market villages, hamlets, and farm- 



