1.A brief account of altitudinal forest belts is given and their altitudinal ranges and floristic compositions are mentioned as follows: A.Evergreen broad-leaved forest belt.This belt is located about the altitude of 600--2000 m. It is chiefly composed of Lithoarpus viridis,L.cleistocarpa,Castanopsis spp.,Cyclobalanopsis spp.,Phoebe spp.,Maehilus spp.,Cinnamoraum spp.,Schima superba,Acer spp.,(Section Inte- grifolia),Manglietia sp.and many other evergreen trees and shrubs.In this belt there are also several conifers frequently met with.They are Pinus Massoniana,Cupressus funebris,Cunning- hamia lanceolata,as well as Cryptomeria japonica. B.Deciduous broad-leaved forest belt.This belt occupies about the altitude of 2000--2500 m. It is composed of deciduous oaks,maples,Tilia spp.,Fraxinus spp.There are alsonumerous endemic genera of eastern Asia.The following genera and species are worthy of mention, Davidia involucrata,Rehderodendron spp.,Tetracentron sinense,Euptelea spp.,Dipteronia sinensis, Emmenopterys Henryi,Cerddiphyllum japonicum var.sinense.Three conifers,Pinus Mas. soniana,Cupressus funebris and Cunninghamia lanceolata,are also common here. C.Coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest belt.This ,belt is distributed about the altitude of 2500--3000 m.The major coniferous species in this belt are Tsuga spp.,Pinnus Armandi,Pinus densata and Abies recurvata and A.Ernestii;and those of hardwoods are maples, birches,poplars,Tilia spp.,Fraxinus spp.,and Euptelea spp. D.Coniferous forest (or subalpine coniferous forest) belt.This is the belt of the most economic importance,especially when timber resources are concerned.This belt covers an alti- tudinal range of 2800--3000 m.The upper limit of this belt varies with .local environmental conditions.In some places it ascends up to 4000 m.or even above 4200 m.This is a rare case of altitudinal distribution in the world.Numerous species of spruces and firs as well as hem- locks and larches are found here.At the lower portion of the belt there are several birches and poplars,which may become predominant after the destruction of the forests.On southern slopes woods or forests of Quereus semecarpifolia are very common.This oak sometimes forms impenetrable thicket over an extensive area. E.Alpine scrub or thicket belt.This belt is situated about the elevation of 3700--4300 m. It is composed of numerous species of Rhododendron,Rosa,Spiraea,Pa'bes,Lonicera and Potentilla (Section Dasiphora). F.Alpine meadow belt.This belt is located at the altitude about 4200 m.It is composed of grasses (species of Festuca,Deschampsia,Calamagrostis,etc.,) and sedges (species of Cobresia and Carex),as well as tremendous number of species of Saxifraga,Anemone,Pedicularis, Primula,Meconopsis,Corydalis,Fritillaria,Potentilla,Hedysarum,Aster,Polygonum,and many other species of Crudferae,Compositae,Labiatae,Ranunculaceae,Umbeliferae,Caryophyllaceae, etc.They form phantastic aspect.Prostrate willows,in forms of mat are also frequently found. G.Alpine tundra (or alpine cushion-vegetation) belt.This belt is located about the altitude of 4500 m.Species of Arenaria,Androsace,Sedum,Saussurea,Melandrum,etc.,are commonly met with.These cushion plants are scattered among rocky debris slopes.Further above,ever- lasting snow as well as glaciers are found. 2.A brief discussion regarding the altitudinal distribution of the different belts mentioned above,is given.A few points are worthy of mention here.a.The deciduous broad-leaved forest belt is comparatively narrow in this area.It may be due to the fact that this belt is located only in south-eastern part of the region,where the cool and moist winter together with fairly temperate summer gives conditions more suitable for the growth of evergreen broad-leaved forest than that of deciduous forest.It is often seen that several evergreen broad-leaved species,such as Lithocarpus viridis,L.cleistocarpa,ascend up as,high as approaching subalpine coniferous forests,b.The species in the eastern .part of the region are far more numerous than that of the western.The Er-Long-Shan,the famous mountain of the upper reach of the Tsing-Yi-Kiang, Shows strikingly the line of demarcation between the east and west.Numerous endemic species of eastern Asia are stopped at the eastern slopes of this mountain range,c.The altitudinal position of every belt is higher in the western and southern parts than those in the eastern and northern.It is probably due to the fact that in the eastern part,the high peaks and ridges are more ot less isolated or discontinuous,such physiographic features accentuate the alpine func- tions,d.The topographic features especially exposures are emphasized in relation to the dis- tribution of forest types.On southern slopes,the drier climatic conditions favor the dominance of meadow or thicket instead of forest.The conspicuous contrast of such distinct vegetations on southern and northern slopes,especially on higher elevations,is the characteristic of this region. The timber line is usually lower on southern slopes,where the forests cover only along the more or less depressed drainage lines.This indicates the edaphic moisture conditions as well as the microclimatic situations become of paramount importance in controlling the distribution of forest types,e.At the lower elavation,say below 2000 m.,where the influence of F(?)hn is distinct, the scanty vegetation and improper land utilization since long before have resulted in very serious erosion.The further destruction of forest or other vegetations around will undoubtedly make the situation worse.The program of reforestation and some proper measures of erosion con- trols are suggested. 3.The distribution of twenty three species are mentioned.They are:Picea asperata,P. purpurea (including P.Balfouriana),P.Wilsonii,P.brachytyla,Abies Faberi,A.sutchuenensis,A. Georgei,(including A.Forrestii),A.recurvata (including A.Ernestii),A.squamata,Pinus Armandi,P.densata,P.insularis (P.yunnanensis) Larix Potaninii,Cupressus DucIouxiana, Tsuga chinensis,T.yunnanensis Populus Davidiana,P.szechuanica,P.cathayana,Betula albo- sinensis,B.platyphylla var.szechuanica,Juglans regia and Hippophae rhamnoides,which is a good material for erosion control. 4.Species suitable for forest regeneration,reforestation as well as for soil erosion control are recommended according to different altitudinal ranges and site conditions. In addition,a diagrammatic sketch showing altitudinal distribution of forest belts is proposed, and two I llusti'ations showing the altitudinal range of broad-leaved trees and coniferous trees respectively are given.

The growth and development analyses and also the tests made to determine the physico- mechanical properties of fast-grown korean pine (Pinus koraiensis S.et Z.) taken from a planta- tion established 30 years ago at Tsao-ho-kou Experimental Forest in Liaoning province,North- east China have been carried out.The data presented indicate that the fast-growing trees have pass the juvenile stage earlier,and there are no significant differences of strength properties be- tween the wood of fast-grown planted stands and the adult wood of slow-grown natural stands. From the viewpoint of modern materialistic biological science,i.e.the teaching on unity and interdependence between vegetation and all the conditions of its existance,the authors discuss the results with particular reference to the relationship between growth and development of the stand and the variations of timber quality. It is concluded that under the control of the forester,when a tree is growing rapidly,it could be expected to produce wood of reasonably high strength,due to the fact that it has reached the adult stage earlier.This means that a fast rate of growth does not have a deleterious effect on quality of the wood.The quality depends not on the rate of growth but on the stage of development.