DIFFICULTY OF CONVEYANCE. 269 



means of conveyance as to amount almost to a 

 prohibition, at least as far as this department is 

 concerned. The result is that the timber lying 

 in forests at a great distance from a market is 

 almost valueless. The baha, or poplar tree, 

 does not attain to a great size, and is naturally 

 a crooked tree ; the wood is light and tough, 

 and well adapted for paneling and such-like 

 work ; it is purchased in considerable quanti- 

 ties by the natives ; in 1858-59 there were sold 

 of this tree 3966 logs. It is principally the 

 young shoots, however, for which there is the 

 greatest demand under the name of rafter ; no 

 less than 150,000 of these liaving been sold 

 during the past year, against 10,708 in 1857-58. 

 These are preferred to babul in the construc- 

 tion of houses, as being less liable to be attacked 

 by the dry rot, or by worms, than young Cutcha 

 babul. The great advantage possessed by the 

 poplar tree is that it may be cut down to the 

 root, and yet not be destroyed; it will send 

 forth several shoots in the following year, which 

 in a very short time furnish a fresh crop of 

 rafter, in the same manner as the osier beds of 

 England. I may add that the supply of botli 

 babul and baha timber, at the present rate of 



