268 EDGEWORTH’S ACCOUNT OF THE SIKH STATES. 
commonly to the more northern and narrow part, except in 
contra-distinction to the Ahdédir in the immediate neighbour- — 
hood, to which my present observations more particularly — 
apply, as I have never visited the more southern region. | 
The most abundant natural product is the dakh, (Butea fron- — — 
dosa,) which springs up wherever the land is not cultivated, — 
and in many places (especially towards Kaithal and Jind) — 
covers vast tracts of country which might be rendered highly — 
productive. : 
“The Flora of these jangals presents several features in 
common with that of the Dhún, such as species of Vitis, — 
Dioscorea, Gloriosa, Asparagus, Costus, and Zinziber. = P 
* This tract is intersected by the rivers Sarasvati, Chitang, 
and Rakshasi a branch of the latter; from these, canals in all. 
directions formerly existed and in a few instances have been 
lately re-opened, but they are generally overgrown with 
jangal. "These three streams, as well as a smaller one which 
joins the Jumna near Buria, all rise near one another in the 
high ridge above the khddir which skirts the Sewdliks, in the 
neighbourhood of Chichrauli and Bilaspur, and are partially 
supplied in the upper part of their course from springs; but the 
water from that source is quickly expended in irrigation and 
they are mainly dependent on rain. They are all character- 
ised by excessive tortuousness of course, and owing to the 
great perpendicular depth of their banks, are exceeding! 
dangerous from sudden floods after heavy rain. o 
“The soil is, generally speaking, tolerably rich ; and in 
favourable seasons produces very fine crops; but parts are 
exceedingly poor and scarcely worth the trouble of cult 
vating. adi T |n 
“The usual crops in the Kharif are rice, which is pretty 
extensively cultivated in lands liable to be overflowed, ands 
. 9n higher ground, cotton, maize, joar, and a very small 
(— quantity of bajra, mandiya, kodon,* and chini. San, the Hibis- 
