207 
The following 4 dea appeared in the British North Borneo 
Herald for August 
* Kapok, the dowd which envelops the seeds of the silk-cotton tree, 
is, says the Produce World, receiving much attention. The cultiva- 
tion of the trees is even said to be ousting coffee in the ovine o 
Burmah; they grow to a height of 80 feet to 100 feet, the wood is soft 
and worthless; the fibre ka ok, is extensively used for stuffing 
mattresses, pillows, c cushions, seats of railway carriages, &c. The lack 
4 for i 
comes to market is in excellent condition for the purposes we haye 
named.” 
Kapok has not been received in this country on a very large scale. 
It is not, however, quite unknown here. The olo eae particulars 
have E received from a well-known firm in the City 
Messrs. IDE & CHRISTIE to ROYAL GARDENS, Kew. 
72, Mark Lane, London, E.C., 
Sr, September 28, 1896. 
In reply to i Ligen of the 24th instant, Kapok is coming 
here regularly to the extent of 100 bales a month from India 
Ceylon. To-day’s vilae is 21d. to 4d. per lb. The trade is not large, 
but may grow. 
Yours, &c. 
Dr. Morris, C.M.G., (Signed) IDE & CHRISTIE. 
Assistant Director, Royal Gardens, 
Kew. 
DXXXVI.—THE FLORA OF TIBET. 
Until quite recently the Herbarium contained no plants from cep 
"Tibet, except a smail set of such portions of. Przewalski cest Senna 
collections as had been worked out by the late Mr. Maxim T 
1892, Surgeon-Captain W. G. Thorold presented the plants tis Pino] 
on his j journey across Tibet with Captain Bower ; and. in 1893 Mr. W. 
Woodville Rockhill SP s through Professor C. S. Sargent, a 
similar collection made by himself on his last journey in Tibet. 
Messrs. 'Thorold and Bower traversed the country from west to east, 
between the 30th and 34th parallels of — and Mr. Rockhill’s 
extreme western point was about 90^ E.long., a little to the north of 
Tengri Nor. Some account of these collections will be found in the 
Bulletin for 1893, p. mh T; es P. and. they or the 
nt of his se in his Sek entitled ‘f'n 
Journey etur Mongolia and Tibet, pp. 380-385. Full fo x i 
of the localities and altitudes are given; the cl P Taring an instruc- 
tive and valuable contribution to botanical literatu 
On returning early in the present year, from their arduous journey 
across Tibet from north to south, Mr. and Mrs. St. George R. Little- 
d presented Kew with a small collection of dried plants which they had 
eceeded in saving from the fate of being left by the roadside, a 
which befell the bulk of their collections and instruments. This 
lection was made in the Goring Valley, in 30° 12' N. lat., and 90° 95! 
Bp 
