SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 
meter than six or eight inches. Whether this is 
due to the trees belonging to a small species, or to 
the fact that the natives are for ever cutting 
them down for firewood it is impossible to say. 
The Poplar (Populus sp.), though very similar 
to that met with on the plains, never reaches any 
great size in these mountainous districts. It 
occurs chiefly in North Shansi, in Shensi and in 
Kansu, forming the chief growth of any size over 
large areas of uncultivated land. Except as 
firewood and in charcoal burning, this tree has 
very little economic value. 
The Stunted, or Scrub-Oak (Quercus sp.) usually 
occurs on the sunny slopes in the more moun- 
tainous regions, showing that it is the severe 
climate which prevents this tree from developing. 
It produces a very small acorn, while the stem 
seldom grows thicker than a man’s arm. In the 
lower hills of Chihli, north, east and west of Peking, 
the Oak occurs as a fine tall tree. 
Besides these trees, which after all ‘are scarcely 
deserving of the name tree, there are some rarer 
Species, such as the Maple (Acer sp.), the Ash 
(Frazinus sp.) and the Aspen (Populus tremula). 
On the plains the commonest trees are the 
Poplar, the Elm and the Willow. 
Of these the Poplar (Populus sp.) is most cared 
for, as it grows very fast, producing a soft wood. 
It forms an invaluable supply to the Chinese, 
who use it for all purposes. It is particularly 
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