Gallant Efforts of Forrest in Realm of Yunnan Botany Culling New and Wondrous Plants name—Forrest. He was one of that small band of distinguished botanists, including Reginald Yarrer and Kingdom Ward who combed the almost unknown regions of Yunnan for new and beautiful plants. Their sced-lings grow now in celebrated nurseries In England and America, As a matter of fact many now common European flowers have been derived from Chinese highland, and such ordinary shrubs a3 the rhododendron which seem so typically English are really of recent introduction, Little Is known of the brave deter mination of these explorers of whom two, Forrest and Farrer, rest for ever amidst the flowers they loved so. well. Forrest was a. practical sort of fellow and not unduly given to imaginings—a point one should bear in mind in view of what befell. But that field of research, which still a few whose lives were not as pure as is required of catholic priests, this may be explained by the fact that many priests in Spain did not follow an inner vocation in entering Priesthood, but choose this career in order to be provided for, A lather often also decided which of his children in his early youth was to enter priesthood and the child had to follow the paternal decision, might also be considered that erally the Spaniard is not abstemious, 1 greater national importance 4s the clerical influence in Spanish educa ion, Spanish schools generally are not only inferior," but til' the monarchy was overthrown and even later they were subject to the powerful influence of the Church this influence was not used for the Proper education of the nation, Revolutionary Tendencies Overcome, The Church considered this in-nonce as a means to counteract revolutionary tendencies. By taking this line, the Church attracted the hostility of revolutionaries; for many years rebellious movements in Spain included the burning cchurehes, monasteries and nunneries. It may be mentioned that the build ings destroyed were usually the ugly products of nineteenth century architecture; even the uneducated Spaniard values his national treas-lures of art too high to destroy them wantonly.
Very often silly rumours roused {the people to such acts of destruc tion—a rumour was spread that nuns had given poisoned sweets 10 working-class children. This, of course, Hie; but that such a lie could gain credence, may show what the workers thought they might expect from the priesthood and what bitter ness had developed between the Servants of the church and the workers. Nobody reaps such hate, unless the has corned at least some However venerable the ofice of the Spanish Church, it has had the care of the nation's education for centuries and the results certainly cannot be considered as satisfactory, either to the nation or to the Church Uiself, It is scareely an overstatement to say that the Church has sown stupidity and superstition and has harvested hate and persecution, 1 don't know if you remember the remains largely unexplored from the Burmese border towards the alps of Szechuen is one that could leave no tone wholly unmoved, Those ands at 10,000 feet are a fairyland Mowers of which even the commonest till recently were unclasslfled. For instance, that splendid magnolia, Manglictia insignia, when first discovered, was thrusting {ts buds into the very verandah of the Festhouse at Hpimaw.
Higher still there are mountains where the bamboo Is seen Jaden with snow—a curious and beautiful sight. Pine and rhododendron mingle together in sparse forests across steep, grassy slopes. 'The Szechuen Alps Which the eyes of few strangers have seen rise in many' places 10 25,000 feet: and in the region where the glaciers thrust down Noir ley snouts the blue poppy flowers in, Irnely, unseen beauly. Primula of many rare variolics are spread in sheets across the turf: and in sheltered hooks lo drifts of golden caltha, and of P. moscophora, purple and' red. There, amidst the rocks, lurk tussocks of diapinsia, and masses of Woydia with Ils delicate yellow. bells.
Unbelievable Leveliness ven at the end of May these alpine valleys. only. just begin shake of their winter shroud where rhododendron aiolosalpinse reigns. in 4 glory of white or sulphur, turning through shades of pink to rich rose, That particular rhododendron, has not yet bloomed for the world to Admire and acclaim, but the young shrubs are healthy and one day they will display for all their unbellevable loveliness: and for all. this have to thank those Intrepid pioneer botanists who have risked hardship and danger in their search across {he plouk mountains of Tibet and T cannot mention att the spoil that Forrest collected that year in the solitudes of the Hsu and Muhso, The people in those paris are very wild: and indeed the population of highland Yunnan is sparse, Of course, Chinese predominate in the piaing and valleys of Tengyueh and Tali, but they seldom venture Into the high mountains which are, me habited exclusively by hilt tribes, Except for the savage Black Hsu of the Salween gorges, the upland folk: are really quite mild, but they are unaccustomed to the sight of sirangfers. The frontiers of Yunnan, Szechuen, Burma and Tibet are all il defined, and travellers depend en-Urely ripon the good otices of teal Friendly. Villagers They are firm friends of those pioneer botanists, and welcome their rare vislis Forrest had trained many of them in the work: for he could not be everywhere at once, and there Is a season of ripening seed when it must be gathered quickly and without delay, Certain seeds also only ripen when they are cover-under a sheet of snow, and one may imagine the bleakness'and dif cully of the search in winter for flowers and for marks which have been left asa guide during the brief summer.
It is mot easy work, and T expect fow would care {0 stick It for more (To be continued)
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.