1 34 Reviews, and Notices respecting New Booh. 



duced The northern provinces and the hills forming the 



more immediate object of this work, will be more fully considered 

 in the sequel; it is sufficient at present to observe, that at one sea- 

 son they grow European grains, and at another those which are pe- 

 culiar to the tropics { and that many perennials of both these two 

 climates seem to succeed equally well in the northern provinces of 

 India j here, therefore, many of the useful products of Persia, 



Arabia, and Barbary, might be grown. Somewhere in the 



valleys at the foot of the hills (Himalayan), or at moderate ele- 

 vations, the more generally useful productions of European countries 



might be successfully introduced, as the olive and hop 



Here also, as I have recommended in a report to Government, 

 there is considerable prospect of success in the cultivation of the 

 tea-plant, for the different elevations allow of every variety of cli- 

 mate being selected, and the geographical distribution of this plant 

 is sufficiently extended to warrant its being beneficially cultivated." 

 (pp. 4, 5.) 



It is clear that the ability of successfully cultivating the plants 

 of some countries, in others where they are not indigenous, will 

 depend upon a knowledge of the climate and other necessary con- 

 ditions both in the country where the plants are indigenous, and in 

 those to which they are to be transported. At first sight it may 

 appear that sufficient knowledge for the purpose requires very little 

 aid from science : in practice, however, it is found that experi- 

 ments of this kind frequently fail from inattention to circumstances 

 which to a common observer appear of little importance, but which, 

 when considered by a scientific man, aware of those on which the 

 experiment depends, are probably among the first subjects to which 

 he directs his attention. Hence the value of those researches to as- 

 certain the causes upon which the growth of certain families or 

 genera of plants depends, and of inquiries into the natural dis- 

 tribution of such families or genera over the face of the globe. 

 Mr. Royle's work abounds with valuable information on these heads, 

 more particularly with regard to the vegetation of the Himalayan 

 mountains, and therefore his suggestions for cultivating the pro- 

 ductions of other countries within our Indian possessions acquire 

 a value which they could not otherwise possess. It appears also 

 that while other countries may be compelled to contribute a por- 

 tion of their vegetation for the advantange of India, India is in re- 

 turn forced to send many of her plants for the comfort or gratifica- 

 tion of man into various other countries, even into our own northern 

 climate ; for our author states, that 



u Many of the trees and shrubs of Northern India are now 

 flourishing in the open air of England, especially in the gardens of 

 the Horticultural Society of London, and of the Messrs. Loddiges* 

 where may be seen : Pinus Deodara ; Webbiana excelsa, Gerardiana 

 and Morinda ; Rhododendron arboreum, aristatum, campanulatum 

 and lepidotum; Pyrus vestita and variolosa-, Cratcegus glauca; 

 Cotoneaster microphylla, rotundifolia, and several other species; 

 Benthamia Jragifera ; Rosa sericea, macrophylla, and Brunonis j 



