104 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. VII. 
very fond of it, although it is rarely eaten by Europeans. 
The weeping-willow, apparently the same species as we 
possess in England, is also common on the sides of 
all the rivers and canals, as well as in the gardens of the 
Chinese ; and there is also a species of elm, but it 
never attains any great size, and can therefore be of 
little value. 
Although there is a paucity in the number of plants 
which are really indigenous to this district, yet Shanghae 
is rich in species which have been brought from other 
parts of the empire, and are here exposed in gardens for 
sale : but there are here no mandarin gardens similar to 
those at Ning-po, this being essentially a mercantile city, 
and all the residents engaged in active business. The 
difference between the two towns, in this respect, is 
indeed very striking. To make up, however, for the defi- 
ciency of private collections, I found a number of nursery 
gardens containing excellent assortments of plants for 
sale, many of which were new to me, and are unknown 
in Europe ; and, being at the same time very ornamental, 
were consequently of great value. At first I had great 
difficulty in finding out these gardens. The Chinese, 
from motives which it would be difficult to define — 
perhaps jealousy or fear — were unwilling to give me the 
slightest information about any of these places outside of 
the town. They told me there were numbers of flower- 
shops in the city, but denied having any knowdedge of 
nurseries or gardens in the country. 
" If you want flowers," said they, " there they are in 
the shops ; why do you not buy them ? Shanghae men 
do this, and you should do the same." 
