38 Description of the first Steam-Engine. 



It appears at a distance to be almost destitute of trees, but 

 in many of the dells and northerly faces it is well wooded 

 with the Pinus deodara and longifolia, besides the species of 

 Quercus, called Ban by the natives, formerly mentioned. A 

 second evergreen species of oak, bearing the name of Mohroo, 

 becomes common. Here, and more remarkably at similar ele- 

 vations in the ranges interior to this, many of our fruits com- 

 mon in Europe come to considerable perfection in their natural 

 state, and by the introduction of European modes of culture 

 and engrafting, I feel confident that ultimately great improve- 

 ment may be effected in many of these, as the apple, pear, 

 apricot, peach, plumb, walnut, raspberry, strawberry, &c. &c. 

 Even the fruit of the Primus puddum, which in warmer belts 

 of elevation is useless, becomes here an eatable cherry. Be- 

 gonice, potent'dlaz, and a great variety of orchideous plants 

 here show themselves during the rains, particularly the orchis 

 or Habenaria gigantea and pectinata, described by Dr. 

 Buchanan in the Flora Exotica I believe. The Roscoea 

 purpurea becomes here common ; a species of daphne also 

 begins to appear , that from the roots of which paper is made; 

 a species of parnassia may also be found ; and confined to ra- 

 ther a narrow belt at about this elevation, the small tree fur- 

 nishing the fruit called Kaeyphid, mentioned by General 

 Hardwicke in his Serinugur tour, but the genus of which, 

 from never having seen it in flower, I am unable to fix. 



Art. V. — Description of the First Steam-Engine. Com- 

 municated bv the Author. 



Of all those whose names are associated with the history of 

 the steam-engine in its first stages, the Marquis of Worces- 

 ter, who lived in the reign of Charles II. is by far the most 

 l-enowned. A book was published by the Marquis himself in 

 1663, under the title of " A Century of the Names and Scant- 

 lings of such Inventions as at present I can call to mind to 

 have tried and perfected, (which my former notes being lost,) 

 I have, at the instance of a powerful friend, endeavoured now, 

 in the year 1655, to set these down in such a way as may suf- 

 ficiently instruct me to put any of them in practice." 



