BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 61 
everything up. And now, in a fortnight, the rains will commence, and 
everybody will go off the hills; for truly there is no living through a 
three months’ shower-bath, with the clouds living on familiar terms 
with you, and walking in and out of your house, without so much as 
* By your leave, fair sir > After the rains in October it is said to be 
delightful, and the landscape one sheet of emerald green, variegated 
with Orchidee and other Monandrie, and during the winter the cold is 
severe. I have got an idea into my head that by sowing at the close 
of the rains (the drip of the rains on the young plant, sown at their 
commencement, would kill) the Deodar Pine would grow here. At all 
events I see no harm in trying, as it has succeeded well on the Neil- 
gherries, whose climate squares well with this, only this has by far the 
greatest amount of rain. So I shall see if I can get a few acres of land, 
and try a few things here; and I should fancy things from the United 
States would do well here, and why not try Gooseberry, Currant, 
Cherry, etc.? Ithink I shall be able to send you Mosses from this 
place: all the trees are “ bearded like the pard” with mosses and 
lichens grey, and on them Orchideous parasites abound. Ferns too 
are very common, whether on tree, dry ground, bare rock, or under the 
drip of the numerous waterfalls. I am travelling about with half-a- 
dozen Ward’s cases, and shall be able to send you one, after the rains, 
should you desire it, stuffed with Orchidee and Zingiberacea, of which 
we have several unique ones, as you may see by reference to Graham’s 
catalogue. I think the Golden-spiked Ginger, now just coming in, 
may be new, but then I cannot say positively, as I have not access to 
any monograph, and even to many books, from which I may learn it 
is an old one; at all events I shall try and collect all I can in Orchidee, 
Zingiberee, Musacee, Marantacee, and any good things I can send you. 
Please, however, to consider any aecounts, and details, and descriptions, 
and ideas, and. plans, and schemes, which I now emit, crude and liable 
to total change on further experience. I should have mentioned that 
the Mango will not succeed on Mahableshwur, and that some Spanish 
Oaks grow very well. But I must see Mahableshwur at other seasons 
than for a few days in May, to judge of its true character. A bitter 
east wind is said to blow all winter. I should much like a few orna- 
mental climber and creeper seeds, as foreign Ipomeas, Tropeolums, ete., 
for the ornamental garden of the Governor. I may here add that since 
writing the above I have arrived at Dapooree, and I see that with care 
