ACROSS THE CHINO-THIBETAN BORDERLAND 175 



out the landscape. A similarly precipitous descent of 20 li 

 brought us to Chuan-ching-lou, where we put up for the night. 



The flora was very interesting, but owing to a thick pall of 

 mist I was able to observe only the plants immediately along- 

 side the pathway. Perhaps the commonest shrub of the day 

 was Salix magnifica, which is abundant everywhere, but more 

 especially near the watercourses. This extraordinary Willow 

 has leaves up to 8 inches long and 5 inches wide, with 

 catkins i foot or more long. It forms a straggling bush 5 to 

 20 feet tall and, except when in flower or fruit, would scarcely 

 be taken even by the closest observer for a Willow. (I first 

 discovered this plant in 1903, and in 1908 succeeded in intro- 

 ducing living plants into cultivation.) Many other kinds of 

 SaHx, varying from prostrate shrubs to small trees, occur on 

 the Niu-tou shan ; indeed, this mountain is remarkable for its 

 wealth in Willows (subsequently I succeeded in introducing 

 into cultivation about a dozen species from this locality). 

 The Actinidia and Clematoclethra previously noted again 

 very abundant. Clematis montana, var. grandiflora, with large 

 white flowers, was a pleasing sight ; so also was a Deutzia 

 {D. rubens) with pretty rose-tinted flowers. I saw no deciduous 

 broad-leaved trees of any size, but herbs were luxuriant ever^^- 

 where, especially the Rodgersia, which covers acres of the moun- 

 tain-side. The Conifers were the most interesting plants of the 

 day. In the ascent, save for odd trees of Silver Fir and 

 Yew, I saw nothing but Hemlock Spruce. This tree delights 

 in rocky country, clinging to the cliffs in a most remarkable 

 manner. In the descent, however, Silver Fir, Spruce, Larch, 

 Heinlock, and White Pine all occur, but the trees are being 

 rapidly felled, and no large specimens were to be seen. From 

 this place come the logs of timber noted yesterday. The 

 Larch (L. Mastersiana) is first met with below T'ang-fang, 

 alt, 9400 feet, where it is common more especially to the right 

 of the road, and descends to 7200 feet altitude. 



Chuan-ching-lou, alt, 7000 feet, 50 li from Hoa-tzu-ping, 

 consists of one large, dirty hostel, and three other houses, situ- 

 ated in a narrow ravine, walled in by lofty mountains, A noisy 

 torrent which descends from the Niu-tou shan flows past the 

 inn, and vegetation is rampant on all sides. The road over 



