On reaching the hill lands the next morning there were such scenes as shown in Fig. 82, where the strips of tree growth, varying from two to ten years, stretched directly up the slope, often in strong contrast on account of the straight boundaries and different ages of the timber.  Some of these long narrow holdings were less than two rods wide and on one of these only recently cut, up which we walked for considerable distance, the young pine were springing up in goodly numbers.  As many as eighteen young trees were counted on a width of six feet across the strip of thirty feet wide.  On this area everything had been recently cut clean.  Even stumps and the large roots were dug and saved for fuel.

In Fig. 83 are seen bundles of fuel from such a strip, just brought into the village, the boughs retaining the leaves although the fuel had been dried.  The roots, too, are tied in with the limbs so that everything is saved.  On our walk to the hills we passed many people bringing their loads of fuel swinging from carrying poles on their shoulders.  Inquiries regarding the afforestation of these strips of hillside showed that the extensive digging necessitated by the recovery of the roots usually caused new trees to spring up quickly as volunteers from scattered seed and from the roots, so that planting was not generally required.  Talking with a group of people as to where we could see some of the trees used for replanting the hillsides, a lad of seven years was first to understand and volunteered to conduct us to a planting.  This he did and was overjoyed on receipt of a trifle for his services.  One of these little pine nurseries is seen in Fig. 84, many being planted in suitable places through the woods.  The lad led us to two such locations with whose whereabouts he was evidently very familiar, although they were considerable distance from the path and far from home.  These small trees are used in filling in places where the volunteer growth has not been sufficiently close.  A strong herbaceous growth usually springs up quickly on these newly cleared lands and this too is cut for fuel or for use in making compost or as green manure.

The grass which grows on the grave lands, if not fed off, is also cut and saved for fuel.  We saw several instances of this outside of Shanghai, one where a mother with her daughter, provided with rake, sickle, basket and bag, were gathering the dry stubble and grass of the previous season, from the grave lands where there was less than could be found on our closely mowed meadows.  In Fig. 85 may be seen a man who has just returned with such a load, and in his hand is the typical rake of the Far East, made by simply bending bamboo splints, claw-shape, and securing them as seen in the engraving.