124 CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OK 



Other Pediculares, Triglochm, Callitriche, Veronica, Campa- 

 iiula, Saxifraga, Draha, small Morma, Parnassia, Ehemn, 

 T/iermopsis, a Sanssurea with bladdery bracts, Anisodinus 

 flowers, Berberry begins to fruit, as do Pyri and Lonicera. 

 Agriculture is little pursued at tliis elevation, Fagopyrum crops 

 flower at 12,000 feet, and barley sown two months before is fully 

 in ear, or, if sown in the end of May, in flower early this month. 

 Eadishes and turnips are in leaf at 15,000 to 16,000 feet, and 

 tlieir tubers formed. Potatoes flower. 



Tliird, or Upper Zone. — There is much snow still in July, even 

 on the rearward mountains, where the perpetual snow-line is at 

 18,000 feet; still most of the slirubs that are found above 

 14,000 feet are in flower, as Spiram, Lonicera, Poteniilla, 

 willow, juniper, berberry, and an occasional rose. Ranuncu- 

 lacece abound. Ranunculus, Delphinum, Aconitiim, Caltha, 

 many Astragali flower, with Corydalis, Hypecotim, Myosotis, 

 Parnassia; many Pedicularis, Sibbaldia ; small Pri/mdce, 

 Alsinece, and Crucifercs ; the alpine purple Meconopsis, Ma- 

 rina, Androsaces, Picrorhiza, Nardostachys, Gymnandra, Dra- 

 cocephnlum, Veronica, Seda, Cassiope, and Menziesia. The 

 single-spiked Carices and Poce flower, Festuca, Aira, Hiero- 

 chloe, Stipa. In Tibetan regions a nettle abounds at upwards 

 of 16,000 feet, and some ArtemisicB are the only early Com- 

 positae in flower. 



August.— 'MediW temperature (7000 feet) 61'7° ; of maxima 

 66-1°, and minima 57-4° ; of daily range 8-7°. Extremes 70° 

 and 54-5° ; of radiation— solar 133°, terrestrial 50°. Extreme 

 differences — solar 62°, terrestrial 3*5°. Mean dew-point 60-4° ; 

 saturation 0-97. Rain 29*454 inches (means of 4 years 33-320 

 and 24-510 inches). In 1849 26-811 inches fell, and it rained 

 every day but one, 10-802 inches falling after sunrise, and 16 

 after sunset. In the interior, on the other hand, at the same 

 elevation, I experienced only 12*45 inches of rain, of which 

 8-29 fell in the night, and 4-16 during day. It rained, however, 

 more or less nearly every day. 



Vegetation in the lower region is at its fullest vigour. The 

 common bracken {Pteris aquilina'i) covers the ground, with a 

 yellow Cucurhitacea. Many annuals that flowered in May and 

 June are passing to seed, as Cyrtandracece, balsams, and bego- 

 nias, but still many species are in flower. Umhelliferfs, which 

 are rare below 9000 feet, flower, together with Ane7none viti- 

 folia, various Hedychia, some very magnificent. Sparganium 

 blossoms, and Colquhounia, the small-flowered Neillia, Cero- 

 pegias, Cuscuta, many Cucurhitacea;, especially Trichosanthes, 

 tree Araliacecc, the sweet Buddleia, Ophelia, Clematis, Tri- 

 cyrtis, Passijiora, Myrsine, and Emhelia, yellow honeysuckle, 



