DB. ATTCniSOJI ON THE FLOEA OF LAHUL. 75 



way they will not take tLe trouble to grow them. The great 

 drawback to vegetable-cultivation is the Avant of proper hedges 

 to protect the gardens from the numerous cattle. This, there can 

 be no doubt, could be easily remedied by making good hedges of 

 No. 294, Hippophae rhamnoides^ L., or of the abundant wild rosea 

 which are so prolific throughout the valley; but they are such 

 an indolent race of people that it is to be feared they would not 

 care to go to this extra trouble. 



Fruits, — The district produces but few fruits ; and of these only 

 one or two are in any way palatable or useful. Those which 

 suit the native palate are: — the wild strawberry, " Paljoo," of 

 which there is a great abundance in the valley; No 54 «, Bibes 

 Ilimalaiense^ Decaisne, a sweetish acid fruit ; No. ISO, Fyrus 

 laccata^ "Wall, (this is a sweet fruit, the size of a small cherry, 

 called " Litsee^^' and much eaten) ; also No. 188, Fyrus mains ^ L., 

 which is a sour bitter fruit, a kind of apple, called by the natives 

 " Kushoo," this term being also applied to the apple. A Coto- 

 neaster, growing in the "lower valley," yields a small berry, to 

 which they are also partial. 



The fruits found good and useful by the Mission were the 

 Wild Strawberry, which is very highly flavoured, the flavour and 

 size becoming greatly improved upon cultivation, making an 

 excellent stew. The fruit of No 294, HippopTiae rhamnoides^ L., 

 is only good after being made into a preserve, with at least half 

 the weight of sugar; and then it makes really an excellent j^reserve. 

 The natives, however, do not use it at all. A recipe for making 

 the above was met with in a Tibetan pliarmacopoeia, where the 

 tree is called " Star-bu." 



Apricot-trees grow in the " Lower valley ; " and there the fruit 

 ripens, called " Chuli." It is, however, an uncommon tree to be 

 seen near a village above 9000 feet ; and then either the children 

 eat all the fruit before it is ripe, or the tree is nnable to ripen its 

 fruit at an altitude above this. Mr. Jaeschke never saw ripe 

 fruit on the trees near Kyelang. Dry apricots, in the form of a 

 cake called " Fating," are always to be found in the houses of the 

 richer natives, and usually form what is given as the introductory 

 present, a ceremony always gone through towards strangers. 



Walnuts, " Darga." Although the tree grows in the " Lower 

 valley," the fruit is not common, and is generally imported. 



Of grapes there are none. Pears and peaches are quite un- 

 known. 



Beverages. — Instead of tea, which assists largely towards the 



