14 STJEG.-MAJ. J. E. T. AITCHTSOX ON THE FLORA OF 



places whore they could never have heen planted, to an alti- 

 tude of 7000 feet. The same peculiarity I observed in Kashmir 

 on the western face of the Tukt-i-Suliman. There is a sacred 

 grove of trees surrounding a shrine at one of the largest of these 

 springs, in which is a Cupressus sempervirens of great height and 

 measuring 6 feet in circumference, forming a landmark to the 

 surrounding country. Here also are some magnificent trees of a 

 distinct form of Populus nigra, the leaves of which are miniature 

 ones. This I subsequently found in great numbers cultivated in 

 the Hariab district. It occurs as a tree fully 100 feet in height, 

 with a girth of 10 feet 6 inches. The road now crosses over some 

 of the plain country until it reaches the Afghan cantonment of 

 Habibkalla, situated at an altitude of 6550 feet. From this the 

 road leads westward to the Pewarkotal, crossing, in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of Habibkalla, the bed of the Spinghao river, 

 close to which is a large cultivated Populus alba, 10 feet in girth. 

 From this point the road at first passes through nearly three 

 miles of cultivation, belonging to the village of Pewar ; it then 

 winds amongst spurs and ravines chiefly of limestone. Here 

 commences a thicket of stunted Quercus lies, upon the branches 

 of which two species of Viscum grow, with a few other shrubs, 

 the most interesting amongst them being a new yellow rose, its 

 first appearance, Rosa J£cce,mih\, a stiff upright bush j and climb- 

 ing over the Quercus Ilex, Lonicera Griffithii, one of the grandest 

 things, when in flower, that I have seen here, the contrast being 

 very fine between the enormous bunches of rose-pink flowers and 

 the dark green foliage of the oak. Of course Sophora, Cotoneaster, 

 and Daphne still occur, but in greater luxuriance. Under the 

 dense shade of the oaks, and growing close into the roots, is a 

 species of Cephalanthera, which is very common. At 7000 feet 

 occasional trees of Deodar and Juniperus excelsa are to be seen ; 

 and on the precipitous ascent to the Kotal these two trees 

 soon form, with Quercus Ilex, a forest ; and on the roadside 

 one or two specimens of Fraxinus Moorcrqftiana are passed. 

 Only when close to the top of the ascent do Abies Smithiana 

 and Pinus excelsa join the forest. 



The Pewarkotal having been reached, a dense forest is seen to 

 occupy its ridges, consisting chiefly of Deodar with Abies Smithi- 

 ana and Pinus excelsa. In certain localities, as on the crests 

 through the most dense part of the forest, Abies Webbiana occurs, 

 and Juniperus excelsa is common on the more northern and open 



