Plants Coeval with Mammoths and Giant Sloth: A Swedish Botanist's Undertaking The existence in darkest Africa er the forests of the Amazon of the mammoths of the Reptilean or other pre-historic ages, like that of the sea-serpent, is regarded as a myth. No scientific explorer has eve' succeeded in proving to the world's satisfaction that there are such terrible creatures still in the universe. But on the other hand it is agreed that certain plants are still growing on this earth which are known to be cowval with these monsters. And China, aptly named the Flowery Kingdom, has the disjansticn of growing them upon her soil.
The collection of new data concerning these primordial plants, as well as adding to the present knowledge of the huge diversity of plant life in China, is the mission of Dr. Harild Smith, who arrived in Shanghai this week. He is accompanied by Mr. Kurt Lange, and is the holder of a chair of botany at the Uppsala University, Sweden.
In an interview with a representative of the '"North-China Daily News'' on Wednesday, Dr. Smith that his expedition would traverse northeast Szechuan.. Part of the country he intends to visit, has already been covered by—British, Austrian and American research paries. But he will make fresh explorations in regions which are at present a terra incognita to the traveller as well as to botanists.
Some species are believed to grow in this land which flourished in the Tertiary period, and the area is remarkable for the amazing variety of its flora, particularly in flowers.
One of the objects of the party will be ultimately to introduce to gardeners new species, and it is hoped to add considerably in the way of specimens to existing collections.
The party will travel partly by rail to Tsingan and afterwards pursue a six weeks' journey by mule over a mountainous region to Sung-pan which will form the base for operations on the Tibetan borders.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.