THE BOTANY OF THE KACHIN HILLS NORTH-EAST OF MYITKYINA. 21 7 
growth of low shrubs, creepers, and prickly palms. There are a 
few teak trees, but of stunted growth, especially near the river. 
The same kind of jungle exists on the eastern bank of the 
Irrawaday, but becomes wilder and denser as one approaches the hills 
In March and April, owing to the dry heat and the jungle-fires, but 
few flowering plants are seen. 
The temperature in the shade reaches a maximum of io8°Fh. 
in the hot weather, and a minimum of 35®Fh, in the cold weather ; 
the annual rainfall is about 100 inches. 
From Namlao northwards the country is very mountainous and 
is intersected by rapid streams flowing into the Nmai Kha. As far 
as Chin-ngaw Kha these hills are fairly well peopled, and owing to 
the * toungyah * or ‘ jhum ’ system of cultivation that prevails, no 
jungle with large trees is to be met with, except in a few of the 
steepest ravines and along the banks of some of the rivers. In this 
* toungyah * tract the ground is usually tilled about once in seven 
years ; in the region around Tawlang, near Lat. 26°38'N., about 
once in four years. 
Around ^d6n frosts occur in the cold weather, the maximum 
hot weather temperature being there about 85°Fh. in the shade. 
Snow has never been known to fall except on the higher hills over 
9.000 feet. The native collector attached to the party ascended 
Sabu Pum, 1 1,300 feet, from Sad6n, reporting dense bamboo and 
cane jungle almost to the summit, but no pines or firs. 
North of the Chipwi Kha the hills become much steeper and only 
the river valleys are inhabited, the higher hills being covered with 
dense virgin-forest. The expedition was unable to halt at any one 
place for a sufficiently long time to admit of collections being made 
in these forests ; the only track ran through the zone of cultivated 
or fallow * toungyah * land, and it was impossible to deviate from it 
sufficiently far to reach the virgin-jungle beyond. 
Two high ranges of mountains were crossed ; the first about 
12.000 feet high in Lat. 26®22'N. and Lon. 98®38'E. ; the second about 
9.000 feet in Lat. 26®i2'N. and Lon. 98°4o'E. On both ranges the 
vegetation was much more luxuriant on the southern than on the 
northern slopes. On the first-mentioned range the summit was 
covered with coarse grass ; for about 3,000 feet down the sides 
there were large fir trees, ^ but no pines ; in this neighbourhood 
enormous quantities of a wild garlic were met with. Unfortunately 
no specimens could be taken either on this range or on the second, 
where the same fir was met with extending to the summit. On 
the southern slopes near the sources of the Nachawng Kha, a beautiful 
