RHUBARB TRADE. 83 



about a foot lone: and the same in thickness ; ^ its 

 exterior covering is a brown, rough rind, which is cut 

 off when dry. The flowering time is the end of 

 June or beginning of July; the seeds ripen towards 

 the end of August. 



The natives asserted that the root is fittest for 

 medicinal purposes in spring and autumn, and that 

 when the plant is flowering it becomes porous ; but 

 we did not find this to be the case in the speci- 

 mens we obtained in midsummer. The Tangutans 

 and Chinese dig it up in September and October ; 

 but the disturbed state of the country has almost 

 put a stop to this industry, which at one time was so 

 actively pursued that nothing but the inaccessibility 

 of some of the forests could have preserved it from 

 extinction. In the environs of Chertinton it is rare, 

 but it is said to abound near the sources of the 

 Tatung and Etsina further to the west, whence 

 the largest quantities were formerly obtained, and 

 transported to Si-ning, the chief central depot for 

 the rhubarb trade. During our stay in these parts 

 the price averaged a Ian (tael) of silver per ten hings 

 (i.e. about b\d. per hing).^ 



It is transported by land in winter, and by boats 

 in summer down the Hoang-ho to Peking, Tien-tsin, 

 and other ports, where the Europeans buy it, paying 

 six or ten times more than its value at Si-ning. A 

 large quantity used formerly to be sent to Kiakhta, 

 but of late years the supply has ceased. The trade 



* Some few, however, are even larger. 

 ' A hing is about \ lb. — M. 

 G 2 



