Cuar. V.] FLORA. 67 
known; and many of those beautiful flowering 
genera which are only found on the tops of the 
mountains in the south, have here chosen less 
exalted situations. I allude more particularly to the 
Azaleas which abound on the hill-sides of this island. 
Most people have seen and admired the beautiful 
azaleas which are brought to the Chiswick fétes, and 
which, as individual specimens, surpass in most 
instances those which grow and bloom on their 
native hills: but few can form any idea of the 
gorgeous and striking beauty of these azalea-clad 
mountains, where, on every side, as far as our 
vision extends, the eye rests on masses of flowers 
of dazzling brightness and surpassing beauty. Nor 
is it the azalea alone which claims our admira- 
tion; clematises, wild roses, honeysuckles, the 
Glycine, noticed above, and a hundred others, 
mingle their flowers with them, and make us confess 
that China is indeed the “central flowery land.” 
There are several species of myrtaceous and erica- 
ceous plants, which are also common on the hills, 
but no species of heath has ever been found, and 
I believe the genus does not exist in this part of 
the country. 
The tallow tree (Stillingia sebifera) is abundant 
in the valleys of Chusan, and large quantities of | 
tallow and oil are yearly extracted from its seeds: 
tallow mills are erected in several parts of the island 
for this purpose. The Laurus Camphora, or camphor 
tree, is also abundant, but no camphor is extracted 
or exported from the island. The green tea shrub 
F2 
