490 XXIV. ROSACEAE 



The growth of the seedling is somewhat slow, natural seedlings attaining 

 a height of about 3-5 in. during the first season and 9 in. to 1 ft. in three years. 



SiLVicuLTURAL CHARACTERS. The tree is a moderate light-demander. 

 It coppices well and produces root-suckers freely, especially when trees are 

 felled or when the superficial roots are exposed and wounded. The branches 

 are somewhat liable to be broken by snow. 



Natural reproduction. Under natural conditions the seed germinates 

 about April. Seedlings spring up in abundance on newly exposed ground, 

 and particularly on deep loose rubble ; natural reproduction may often be 

 found in quantity on landslips and places recently eroded by snow. 



3. Primus nepalensis, Hook. f. Vern. Arupatti, Nep. 



A large tree of the central and eastern Himalaya at 6,000-10,000 ft., 

 Khasi hills, Upper Burma in evergreen forest in the Ruby JVIines district at 

 6,000 ft. Bark greyish black, thin, smooth ; branches verticillate. Mr. F. B. 

 Manson ^ says the seeds, which are distributed by birds, germinate very easily 

 in the end of February and the beginning of March, even when hoar-frost is 

 frequent, and that the seedlings seem to thrive almost as well under cover 

 as in the open, and are very common and useful for restocking blanks. He 

 adds that the tree has an extensive range, but in the Darjeeling hills it thrives 

 best between 6,000 and 6,500 ft. ; here it grows quickly, and sound trees of 

 8 to 10 ft. in girth with fine straight boles are met with. In this locality the 

 new leaves appear in March, the flowers in May, and the fruit ripens in 

 October-November. - 



2. PYRUS, Linn. 



Pyrus Pashia, Ham. Syn. P. variolosa, Wall. Vern, Patangi, Hazara ; 

 Kdint, mehdl, W. Him. 



A moderate-sized deciduous tree of the Himalaya at 2,000-8,000 ft., 

 Khasi hills and hills of Upper Burma. In the outer Himalaya it is very 

 common on open sunny slopes, often with Quercus incana, JRhododendron 

 arhoreum, Berheris aristata, B. Lyciutn, and Pieris ovalifolia, and lower down 

 with Pinus longifoUa, while at the base of the hills it is associated with low- 

 level species, for example at Dehra Dun. It has spreading superficial roots 

 and reproduces with great freedom from root-suckers, especially on hill-sides 

 where the roots have become exposed ; in this respect it is useful in preventing 

 landslips. It can be grown from cuttings, and forms a useful stock for the 

 apple. The leaves fall in November or early December, turning nearly black 

 before falling, and the trees are leafless until the following March or April, 

 when the new leaves appear ; at low elevations they may appear as early 

 as February. The white flowers appear with the new leaves, but occasionally 

 trees may be seen flowering out of season, as late as July. The fruit is a globose 

 five-celled pome 0-6-1 -2 in. in diameter, greenish brown, covered with raised 

 light grey dots, resembling a miniature apple, with brownish black shining 

 seeds like small apple seeds. The fruits become full-sized by about July or 

 August, but remain hard, with a firm whitish very astringent flesh until 

 November-December, when the flesh begins to rot and turn black and sweetish ; 



J Working Plan for the Darjeeling Forests, 1893. - Gamble, Darjeeling List. 



