8 KELATION BETWEEN CLIMATE AND VEGETATION 



the spur Osbeckia and several species of Rubus appeared ; and 

 hence upwards the brambles are very frequent, twelve species 

 occurring between this level and 10,000 feet. They flower at 

 different seasons ; one was bearing large-sized, well-flavoured 

 yellow fruits, as big as raspberries. 



At noon we arrived at tlie top of the spur, and passing some 

 chaits,* gained the Lama's residence and temple. The latter is 

 nothing more than a rather large wooden Bhotea house raised 

 on a stone platform. As we stopped here on our way down, I 

 shall allude to it afterwards more particularly. 



Two species of bamboo, " Payong" and "Praong" of the 

 Lepchas, here replace the " Pao " of the lower regions. The 

 former was flowering abundantly, tiie culms, which were 20 feet 

 high, being wholly a diff"use panicle of inflorescence. The 

 " Praong " bears a round head of flowers at the apices of the leafy 

 branches. Wild strawberry, violet, Lysimachia of several 

 species. Geranium, Polygonum, Veronica, &c., announced our 

 approach to the temperate zone. Around the temple were potato 

 crops and peach trees. The potato thrives extremely well in Sik- 

 kim, though I think the root cultivated in the plains of India from 

 the Darjiling stock is superior both in size and flavour. Peaches 

 never ripen in this part of Sikkim, apparently from the want of 

 sun ; the tree grows well at 3000 to 7000 feet, and flowers abun- 

 dantly, and its fruit makes the nearest approach to maturity 

 (according to the elevation) from July to October. At Darjiling 

 it follows the English season, flowers in March and fruits in 

 September, when the scarce reddened and still hard fruit falls 

 from the tree. 



It is curious that throughout this, the temperate region, there 

 is hardly an eatable fruit except the native walnut.| English 

 cultivated fruits are extremely poor ; the native are confined to 

 the walnut, some poor brambles, of which the " yellow " and 

 " ground raspberry " are the best, some insipid figs, and a very 

 austere crab-apple. The European apple will hardly ripen, the 

 pear not at all. Currants and gooseberries show no disposition to 

 thrive, and strawberries, which grow well, ripen a flavourless 



* The chait of Sikkim, borrowed from Tibet, is a square pedestal sur- 

 mounted with a hemisphere, the convex end downwards, and on it is placed 

 a cone, with a crescent on the top. These are erected as tombs to Lamas, 

 and as monuments to illustrious persons, and are venerated accordingly, the 

 people always passing them from right to left, often repeating the invocation, 

 " Om mani Padmi hom." 



t The walnut of Sikkim has an extremely hard shell, whilst that of 

 Bhotau has a remarkably thin one. In both the kernel is excellent, but in 

 Sikkim not worth the trouble of freeing from the shell. Bhotan walnuts are 

 largely exported, and are in all respects excellent. 



