1147 
from sea level up to 2000 m. altitude, but does not 
occur where the winters are severe. It is abundant in 
Pukien, Hunan, and Hupeh, and more especially so in 
western Szechwan where it is partial to red sandstone 
and forms pure forests. The trunk is mast-like; the 
branches numerous, slender, short, and horizontally 
spreading, giving a lax, pyramidal appearance to the 
tree. The leaves, usually dark green above, are fre- 
quently more or less glaucescent. After felling, 
sprouts spring from the old stumps and develop into 
new trees. This peculiarity explains why this tree 
is still common in regions near densely populated 
areas. Cunninghamia is the Shan shu of the Chinese, and 
is esteemed the most useful of all their timber trees. 
The wood is fragrant, soft, and easily worked; and is 
extensively employed in all branches of carpentry, in 
general construction work for pillars and planking, 
and as masts for native boats. It is also the prin- 
cipal coffin wood of central and western China, the 
fragrant properties being considered to act as a pre- 
servative. In parts of western Szechwan, notably in 
the Chienchang valley of the Tung river, a few days' 
journey west of Fulin, whole forests of this tree were 
engulfed by an earthquake two or three centuries ago. 
The wood of these trees is today mined and furnishes 
the most valuable of all coffin material. From these 
logs, known as Hsiang-mu, 'fragrant wood', or Yin-ehen-mu, 
'long-buried wood 1 , planks of huge size can be cut, 
and a coffin made of them sells for a thousand to 
fifteen hundred ounces of silver. This buried wood is 
pale brown, close in texture, but easily worked and 
pleasantly fragrant. Trees of this conifer, equalling 
in size those buried giants, cannot be found in China 
today except as rare and isolated specimens associated 
With temples or shrines." (C. S. Sargent, Plantae 
Wilsonianae, vol. 2, p. 51-52, 1914.) 
Dioseorea 8p. (Dioscoreaceae. ) 44588. Yam tuber from 
Ogbomosho, Nigeria, West Africa. Presented by Dr. 
George Green. The natives plant yams following a good 
shower In the summer or dry season (November to March) . 
Such a storm usually comes about the end of January. 
The yams are cut cross-wise into sections about three 
inches thick, and these sections are cut longitudinal- 
ly. Only 1 piece is planted, about 4 inches deep, in 
each of the hills or heaps, which are about 3 feet in 
diameter, 2 feet in height, and 4 feet apart. A tuft 
of grass is placed on top of the hill to protect the 
