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essary but in the main he will, it is hoped, be able to 

 carry out this plan. "My plans for leaving for western 

 China are assuming the following shape: from Peking to 

 Chang to fu, in Northern Honan, by train. Then by carts 

 to Lin hsien; here in the neighboring mountains many rare 

 trees are said to abound, like Pinus burigea/ia, various 

 conifers and others. 



"Prom Lin hsien by pack animals through the wild 

 mountains, to Pai hsiang chen (Shansi) where these large 

 jujubes are cultivated. Here I will try to get photos of 

 green fruits and the orchards in leaf, though it may be 

 too early yet. 



"Prom Pai hsiang chen, we will move on to Sianfu, 

 Shensi. Then probably by the southern route over Pong 

 slang fu to Chow tien (N. Szechuan) . Then along the Hei 

 shin ho (black water stream) to Kiai , trying to collect 

 wild peaches (A. persica var. potanini) and almonds which 

 occur there. 



"From Kiai we may go over Siho and Titao to Lanchowfu, 

 Kansu. 



"From Lanchowfu I may go to Sining and return by way 

 of Chobsen and Chetertou to Lanchowfu again, passing 

 through regions rich in forests and where Przewalski 

 collected many novelties. 



"In late winter (1914) or early spring, 1915, I may 

 leave Lanchowfu, and go by way of Titao, Minchow, Siku, 

 Kungala pass (19000 ft. alt.) to Sungpan (Szechuan). Prom 

 there to Chengtu and Chungking. Then along the Yang tse 

 Kiang over Wan hsien and Tchang to Hankow. In Szechuan 

 and Hupeh I will make special enquiries regarding woodnut- 

 oil problems and bamboo-manufacture. In May 1915 I may 

 again be in Peking and then leave for America, arriving in 

 Washington possibly before the fiscal year has expired. 



"The problems to which special attention will be paid 

 on this coming journey are those connected with jujubes, 

 persimmons, wild peaches, and other wild fruits, bamboos 

 and wood-oil trees. Of course, as usual, I will stumble 

 across lots of things too interesting not to bag them 

 also. 



"There are several dark clouds hanging over these 

 proposed journeys. The worst is the brigandage out in 

 N. W. China. Powerful bands of these rascals are still 

 operating in Kansu especially, and at times I am consider- 

 ably worried by the accounts one finds in the papers. I 

 would hate to lose my whole outfit in an encounter with 

 these scoundrels. 



"Another problem is the money question. Will I be 

 able to finance the thing properly? We will try and see 

 and when I do not get robbed, I think we will be able to 

 manage it alright. 



"The third difficulty is the one that is always with 

 one, viz., will my new interpreter prove to be up to our 

 desires? All we can do is to hope for the best." 



