184 poo-TO-SAN —ITS TREES AND SHRUBS. ([Cuap. X. 
The principal species of trees and shrubs met with 
are Pinus sinensis, Cunningham lanceolata, yews, 
cypresses, the camphor tree, tallow tree, oaks, and 
bamboos. The Camellia japonica grows sponta- 
neously in the woods, where we met with many 
specimens from twenty to thirty feet in height and 
with stems thick in proportion. The variety, how- 
ever, was only the well-known single red. In 
other respects the flora of Poo-to is nearly the same 
as on the island of Chusan. 
A few pet plants were cultivated by all the 
priests who were fortunate enough to have private 
residences at the little temples on the sides of the 
hills. We were much pleased with the interest these 
poor people took in their favourite flowers, but 
were disappointed in the number and variety of 
plants, which, from the reports of others, we ex- 
pected to have found. Almost the only orchidaceous 
plant which they had, proved to be the common and 
well-known Cymbidium sinense. Daphne odorata, 
two or three species of Gardenia, several varieties 
of Rose, the common Balsam, and the favourite 
Nelumbium were nearly all the plants met with in 
the gardens of the priests. 
The island of Poo-to is set apart entirely as a 
residence for the priests of the Budhist religion. 
Few other persons are allowed to live there, and 
these are either servants or in some way connected 
with the priests. No women are permitted to reside 
on the island, it being against the principles of the 
Budhists to allow their priests to marry. The 
