NORTH-WESTERN SZECHUAN 123 



The flora was not interesting, Alder, Pterocarya, and Cornns 

 controversa are the only common trees. Buddleia Davidii 

 is abundant by the stream side, and was in full flower. The 

 Tea Rose also is fairly common. A Lily without bulbils, other- 

 wise very like Lilium Sargentice, is plentiful in places. At 

 Peh-yang ch'ang, alt. 4100 feet, we found a road leading off 

 to the right, and connecting with the Lungan-Sungpan high- 

 way at Shui-ching-pu ; this we decided to follow. 



Above our lodgings at Peh-yang ch'ang the river bifurcates, 

 one branch, a clear-water stream, being locally adjudged the 

 larger. It is up this stream the road connecting with the 

 Mao Chou-Sungpan highway ascends. The people told us 

 that this road was similar in character to the one we had 

 followed thus far, but more difficult, especially since the proper 

 bridges had nearly all been recently destroyed by floods. 

 The cross-over to the Min Valley is near a place called Hwa-tsze- 

 ling, where fine forests of Silver Fir and Spruce occur. Pien-kou 

 is a considerable wine market, much of the product finding 

 its way to Sungpan over this rough cross-country road. 



A fatiguing march marked our first day's journey towards 

 the Lungan-Sungpan highway. We made two long ascents 

 and descents, and commenced a third ascent, putting up for the 

 night at Hsao-kou, after covering 55 li. The second ascent 

 was fully 2000 feet, and very steep, through maize fields, 

 culminating in abandoned herb-clad areas. The descent was 

 mainly through coppice and brush. Houses occur scattered 

 here and there, wherever cultivation is practicable, maize 

 being the staple crop ; the Irish potato and peas are also 

 grown. The road proved difficult, but I had traversed worse. 



The forests have been destroyed, brushwood now covering 

 the uncultivated areas. Topping the loftier crags, and in 

 inaccessible places generally, a sprinkling of conifer trees still 

 exist, but we did not get near them. The vegetation generally 

 is that common to the 5000 to 6000 feet belt in west Szechuan, 

 but is less varied than in many parts I have visited. In the 

 valleys Alder was common, and on the slopes the Varnish tree 

 {Rhus verniciflua) and Walnut [Juglans regia) occur in quantity. 

 In coppices the Davidia, both the hairy and glabrous varieties, 

 is plentiful, but no large trees were noted. Throughout the 



