180 Brigafle- Surgeon J. E. T. Aitchison's Notes on Products 



Boiss., occur only as indigenous shrubs or small trees at an 

 elevation of 3000 feet and upwards near running water. 



Salix Babylonica, Linn., is a large indigenous and 



cviltivated tree. Salix Daviesii, Boiss., is a cultivated tree. 



Salix alba, Linn., is a large tall tree cultivated near villages, 



called bed-i-sla, owing to the dark colouring of its bark. 



Salix songaeica, Ands., is also a cultivated tree near villages 



called hed-i-surkh, owing to the red colouring of its bark. 



The cultivated trees attain great girth ; although whilst young 



they may be tall, they soon loose their stature owing to the 



high winds, and their boughs easily breaking off, besides 



whilst young most of them are kept in a continuous state of 



pollard, from cattle being fed in early spring vipon their 



young branches and shoots. They are all cultivated, if water 



is at hand, for the rapidity of their growth, which gives early 



shelter and shade, besides for the value of their wood, which, 



though not much thought of for roofing purposes, as it is 



easily destroyed by white ants, comes largely into use for 



doors, lintels, spinning wheels, making dishes, platters, lids for 



the large iron cooking pots which are so much in vogue in 



this country, for spoons, for the manufacture of charcoal, for 



gunpowder, and as fuel, and divides the honour of being used 



in making the boxes for packing grapes for exportation to 



India with Populus nigra. The stems of young trees are 



employed to make the handles of their chief agricultural 



weapon, a kind of spade-shovel, the handle of which has to 



be fully 5 feet in length, requiring lightness and strength ; 



or these are bent into shape to make the wooden supports 



employed in the roofing of the Jcahitka, or nomad hut. 



The branches and annual shoots are used in the manufacture 



of basket-work, whether for the construction of the walls of 



houses, supporting irrigation channels, or for basket-work in 



general, and in early spring cattle are fed on the young 



blossoming shoots. 



Salix Caprea, Linn. (?) (at least I suppose it is this plant), 

 is cultivated at Herat, for the scent distilled from its flowers ; 

 it is called majnu, and hcd-mushk. 



Salsafy — 



That cultivated as a vea'etable in Endand is Tragopogon 



