218 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL IXDL\. 



specific gravity being so low that a great bulk of it has 

 to be transported in comparison with teak and other 

 hard woods to produce a given effect. Yet it produces 

 excellent charcoal, and is perfectly adapted for most 

 ordinary purposes of fuel ; and, wherever the carriage of 

 better sorts from remote parts has rendered their use 

 more expensive, the Salei has been actually used instead. 

 This points to another mistake we have hitherto made 

 in our Indian forestry. Undoubtedly this and other soft 

 wood trees should have been forced into common use by 

 the people as fuel long ago, instead of our giving way to 

 their outcry for hard woods and bamboos, the use of 

 which should be confined to certain special requirements. 

 The Boswellia possesses other properties, which will 

 probably at some future time render these great desolate 

 tracts of hio-h economical value. It vields a fragrant gum 

 resin, which is burnt as incense in Hindu temples. It 

 was long thought to be the Olibanum of the ancients, 

 employed for a similar purpose ; but Dr. Birdwood, in a 

 pamphlet, attempted to show that this substance was 

 procured from other species of the Boswellia in countries 

 to the west of India. It is, however, singular that its 

 Sanscrit name, lahdnd, should still so closely resemble 

 that of antic[uity ; and it may perhaps be doubted if 

 our knowledge of the ancient comoaerce of India suffices 

 to exclude India from the list of countries which 

 contributed the frankincense of the BosweUia to the 

 fanes of heathen gods. It is highly probable that some 

 much more oreneral utilitv would be found in this omm 



o . o 



resin, were the attention of persons capable of testing 

 it drawn to the subject. It is also not unlikely that the 

 soft woody fibre of the tree would prove to be adapted 

 for the manufacture of coarse paper or cloth. Should 



