THE CHENGTU PLAIN 109 



well-wooded appearance to the entire region, and the general 

 view is broken up in such a manner that from no point can 

 many miles of the plain be seen at one time. 



The variety of trees is very great ; fully fifty species could 

 easily be enumerated. Alongside the streams and ditches, 

 Alder, "Ching-mu" {Alnus cremastogyne) abounds, and forms 

 one of the principal sources of fuel. In the more northern parts 

 of the plain the curious Camptotheca acuminata, with clean 

 trunk, -grey bark, and globose heads of small white flowers, 

 displaces the Alder. Around the houses Bamboo, Oak, "Pride of 

 India," Soap trees [Gleditsia), Cypress, and Nanmu are the com- 

 monest trees. The Nanmu is a special feature around temples. 

 Several species of the genus Machilus are called Nanmu, all 

 agreeing in being stately, tall, umbrageous evergreens. The 

 wood they yield is highly valued, and the trees are particularly 

 handsome. The Banyan tree, so abundant a little farther 

 south, is very rare here, and neither Pine nor Chinese Fir 

 (Cunninghamia) are common. Occasionally trees of the Red 

 Bean {Ormosia Hosiei) occur, always, however, in temple-yards 

 or shading wayside shrines. The great industry of Chengtu 

 Fu is sericulture, consequently Mulberry trees abound, and 

 Cudrania tricuspidata (Tsa shu), the leaves of which are also 

 used for feeding silkworms, is likewise fairly common. 



In such a highly cultivated area the natural flora has, of 

 course, been destroyed. The few indigenous shrubs and herbs 

 that remain are relegated to the sides of streams and grave- 

 yards. In places the Chinese Pampas Grass {Miscanthus 

 sinensis and M. latifolius) is common ; in autumn the fawn- 

 coloured plumes are most attractive. Occasionally thorny 

 shrubs like Barberry, Christ's thorn, colloquially " Teh-li- 

 pe kuo-tzu " [Paliurus ramosissimus), and " San-chia pi" 

 [Acanthopanax aculeatum) are used as hedge plants. The 

 commonest fence, however, is made by bending down and 

 interlacing the bamboo-culms. 



Since the plain is strewn with cities, villages, and farm- 

 steads, a network of roadways necessarily obtains. A main 

 artery extends north-north-east, through the plain and beyond 

 to Shensi province, and ultimately reaches far-distant Peking. 

 This road was commenced from the Shensi end by the great 



