88 MR. E. L0CKW00D ON THE MAHWA TBEE. 



and numerous spreading branches, forming a close, shady rounded 

 crown. It is propagated by self-sown seedlings and is protected 

 in most parts of India. It is abundant in all parts of Central 

 India, from Guzerat to Behar. There seems no doubt that the 

 tree is indigenous in the forests of the Satpura range of Western 

 India." It thrives," he says, "in dry stony ground." 



Any one standing on the dry metamorphic Kharakpoor hills in 

 the district of Monghyr, 250 miles north-west of Calcutta, and 

 looking into the plains below, may see a hundred thousand Mahwa 

 trees, which, if fresh from Calcutta, he will probably mistake for 

 mango trees. But, unlike that of mango trees, w r hich are uncertain 

 in their yield, the Mahwa crop never fails ; for the part eaten is 

 the succulent corolla, which falls in great profusion from the trees 

 in March and April. This season is a grest feasting time for the 



i 



humbler members of creation. Birds, squirrels, and tree-shrews 

 (Tupaia Elliotti) feast among the branches by day, whilst the 

 poor villagers collect the corollas which fall on the ground on all 

 sides. Kor does the feasting end w r ith the dav. At sunset pea- 



cocks and jungle-fowl steal out from the surrounding jungle to 

 share the Mahwa with deer and bears, many of which fall victims 

 to the bullets or arrows of the hunters, w r ho sit concealed in the 

 branches overhead. South of the Granges, in Monghyr, the 

 Mahwa is by far the most abundant tree. It grows on poor stony 

 soil, ill-suited to most other trees or for the plough ; and, fully 

 appreciating its valuable properties, the natives protect it where- 

 ever it grows. 



During the four years which I passed in Monghyr as magistrate, 

 I visited every part of the 4000 square miles under my charge in 

 the cold season, paying constant attention to the natural history, 

 particularly to the botany, of the district. The Mahwa tree, 

 which I had not seen previously in Lower Bengal, attracted my 

 especial attention ; and I calculated that there must be not far 

 short of a million trees in Monghyr alone. Each tree yields two or 

 three hundredweight of corollas ; so that the total yield of Mahwa 

 flowers cannot be far short of a hundred thousand tons in Monghyr 

 alone. Of this amount a vast quantity goes to feed the forest 

 birds and beasts ; but of that portion which is collected by the 

 natives by far the greater part is eaten, and supplies nourishing 

 food to the poorer classes* The Santhals, who use it largely, are 

 a plump and happy race, the only people I have ever seen in 

 India who enjoy a hearty laugh ; and this I attribute partly to the 



