Flora of Szechuan 265 



" Wu t'ung " {Sterculia platinifolid). 



" Pao t'ung " {Paulonia imperialis). 



And lastly, the 



" T'ung tse " {Akurites cordata M.). This is the celebrated 

 wood-oil tree, the produce of which is in use all over China 

 for houses, boats, and furniture, and a most excellent oil it 

 is. The junk-men employ nothing else on their vessels but 

 a coating of this oil, rubbed on by the hand at the annual 

 overhaul in the dry winter season, and thus preserve them 

 free from rot and fit for use for literally an indefinite period. 

 This tree is well worth the attention of the Indian authorities, 

 and ought long ere this to have been introduced into British 

 India. It must not be confounded with the 



" Ch'i shu" {Rhus vernifera), the likewise most valuable 

 varnish-tree. 



The commonest tree, seen everywhere along the banks of 

 the Great River and its subsidiary streams, is the " Liu shu " 

 of Hu-peh, or the " Ma liu " of Szechuan, often translated 

 by foreigners " willow-tree,'' which it is not, but Pterocarpa 

 stenoptera. 



Two soap-trees are remarkable as furnishing an article of 

 export to Eastern China in the shape of the seed-pods, which, 

 after being dried in the sun, are used just as they are, in 

 lieu of cakes of soap, for washing. There are two principal 

 varieties, viz. : — 



1. The commoner — short red pods and very fine delicate 

 acacia-like foliage (Gymnocladus sinensis). 



2. With long, flat, black pods (Gleditschia sinensis). 

 Evergreens of all kinds abound, as might be expected in 



30° northern latitude. I will only mention the "Hoang 

 ko," which, with its exuberant dark-green foliage, is a great 

 ornament to the country, and a magnificent shade-tree to 

 the tired traveller. It is in special favour as a decoration 



