ACROSS THE CHINO-THIBETAN BORDERLAND 203 



menton those of Hsin-tientsze, but we were, nevertheless, glad to 

 leave very soon after day dawned. It is considered to be 90 li 

 from this place to Tachienlu, but I should say 60 li is a nearer 

 estimate. We enjoyed another sunny day. The road is 

 easy and leads through a continuation of the valley that we 

 entered on descending from the Ta-p'ao shan Pass. The valley 

 and mountain-sides for some 300 to 500 feet above it become 

 more and more under cultivation. Cereals, peas, and Irish 

 potato are the principal crops. The potatoes were being 

 harvested, and I noticed that red ones predominated. The 

 region generally has been denuded of its trees, and where not 

 under crops is covered with scrub and coarse herbs. In rocky 

 places small trees of White and Hard Pine {Pinus Armandi, 

 P. prominens) occur, also a few comparatively large trees of a 

 very distinct-looking Peach having narrow, lance-shaped, long 

 pointed leaves, rather small fruits, downy on the outside. -"^ 



Around habitations tall trees of Poplar are common, and 

 an occasional Spruce and White Birch occur. The Spruce 

 [Picea aiirantiaca) is a particularly handsome species, Mdth 

 square, dark green needles on spreading branches and red- 

 brown pendulous cones clustered near the top of the tree. 

 The Apple, Apricot, Peach, Plum, and a few Walnut trees are 

 cultivated. The fields are fenced with hedges of Wild Goose- 

 berry {Ribes alpestre, var. giganteum) and the handsome Sorbaria 

 arborea, which has large erect masses of snow-white flowers. 

 Over these and other shrubs various species of Clematis trail, 

 the most common being C. nutans, var. thyrsoidca, which was 

 laden with a multitude of creamy-yellow nodding flowers. 

 The most beautiful shrub, however, was a Lilac growing 12 to 

 15 feet tall, and covered with huge panicles of pink or white 

 fragrant flowers. (It proved a new species, and has been named 

 Syringa Wilsonii.) 



^ At the time I paid no further attention to this Peach, but in 1910 I 

 secured ripe fruit, and found to my astonishment that the stones were per- 

 fectly smooth, free, and relatively very small — characters denoting a distinct 

 species of Peach. It proved to be new, and has since been named Prunus 

 mira. I regard this as among the most remarkable of the discoveries I have 

 been privileged to make. This new Peach is now in cultivation, and by cross- 

 breeding with the old varieties of the garden Peach (P. Persica) may result in 

 the production of entirely new and improved races of this favourite fruit. 



