302 CHINESE VEGETATION. 



besides Cypress, Cocoanut, Bamboo, Mulberry, Cape 

 Jasmin, and otliei'S. 



I was told of* tobacco and white poppy growing here, 

 but did not see any ; the latter is largely cultivated in 

 the north of China, although such is nominally against 

 the law, ^\dlich is curious since the Government taxes the 

 growth of poppy. At Canton, the opium trade is very 

 flourishing, a chest selling for five or six hundred 

 dollars, one half of which represents the duty received 

 hj the British Government ; besides this the Emperor 

 of China levys a very heavy import duty, hence a great 

 quantity is smuggled into the interior. 



The greater portion of China, and especially the 

 northern provinces, by all accounts have a very naked 

 appearance, few trees and no gardens or meadows, 

 which cannot be said of the vicinity of Canton. Here 

 the landscape is rather a smiling one, and every village 

 rears silkworms, also artificial duck-l^reeding is carried 

 on to a great extent. Cattle do all the ploughing and 

 transport, but strange enough the Chinese do not use 

 their milk. 



A visit to one of the great tea stores Is not uninte- 

 resting, especially when the trade is in full swing, to 

 see the enormous quantities arriving from the interior, 

 and the expedition with which they are shipped for 

 Europe and America. The ordinary package Is the 



