4 V. F. I! 1! o THE K us T. XXIV. 



<Tlie country of Kashmir is correctly speaking restrictecl to the valley of 

 that name and to the slopes of the mountains which encircle it. The length of 

 this valley is 84 miles, and it varies in width from 20 — 25 miles. Its eleva- 

 tion above the sea averages about 6 000 ft. The territories in possession of 

 the Maharajah of Kashmir include also Jamu on the south, and the more 

 recently acquired countries of Astor, Gilgit, Baltistan and Ladåk on the north 

 and east. The total length of this tract of country, taken from S. E. to N. W., 

 is nearly 400 miles and its breadth from S. W. to N. E. is 350 miles. 



This whole region is essentially a mountainous one, the main ranges 

 extending in more or less parallel lines from N. W. to S. E. There are 

 several peaks rising to altitudes of över 20 000 ft. ^), and some of the largest 

 glaciers in the world are to be found in their vicinity. The position of those 

 lofty snowy ranges stretching across the country has a most marked influence 

 on the climate of the northera Kashmir territories, and consequently the différ- 

 ent character of the vegetation is at once noticeable to anyone after crossing 

 this high barrier of mountains in the direction of Gilgit Baltistan or Ladåk. 

 The same conditions prevail throughout the Himalayan region, where the outer 

 ranges receive the bulk of the rainfall. The vegetation of these outer ranges 

 varies considerably from N. W. to S. E. owing partly to the heavier rainfall 

 in the Eastern Himalaya, and partly to the increase of température due to the 

 lower latitude. The vegetation of the dry minor ranges is much more uniform 

 in character all along the northern limits. There is one remarkable feature 

 worthy of notice both in Kashmir and amongst the Himalayan ranges gener- 

 ally, and that is the prépondérance of forest growth on the slopes facing the 

 north. Valleys extending north and south, and situated within the limits of 

 tree growth, are equally clothed witli forests on either side, whilst those run- 

 ning west to east are usually almost bare of forests on their slopes which face 

 the south. The appearance therefore of the Himalayan ranges to any ob- 

 server looking toward the north is that of a succession of bare slopes, frequently 

 fringed along their summits with a dark serrated line. This dark line con- 

 sists of the projecting tops of the uppermost tiees which compose the more 

 or less dense forests extending all along the northern slopes. The sun's rays 

 are too powerful within the latitude of JSTorthern India to enable mosses and 

 such like plants to clothe the southern slopes to any extent, and to this may 

 partly be attributed the absence of forests on these warm sunny slopes; for it 



') An enormons monutain known as K^ at the head of the Baltoro glacier is 28 265 ft., aud 

 Nanga Parbat uear Astor is considerably över 26 000 ft, 



