Appendix. 335 



No. 44. 



In 1857 Capt. Lowther, writing "on the Flora and vege- 

 table products of Assam" in one of the journals of the A. H. S. 

 of India, says, " The various species of oranges and lemons 

 in Assam would astonish you. In the garden at Saikwah 

 the post I have just deserted is an orange-tree 40 feet 

 high, which bears thousands of fruit. There are several other 

 trees of smaller dimensions. Lemons of the finest kinds are 

 found wild throughout the forests, and are a great treat to a 

 thirsty, feverish explorer. I often come on a loaded tree in 

 the midst of a grass plain, with no water nearer than some 

 miles. They are doubtless the remains of an ancient culti- 

 vation The very best citrons I ever saw were growing 



wild last month on a barren island of nearly pure sand, on 

 the Upper Berhampooter. The growth of the tree was very 

 remarkable for any plant of the Aurantiacese. The lower 

 branches were trailing creeper-like along the ground,* and 

 were heavily laden with bunches of ripe perfumed fruits, 

 some weighing more than 2 Ibs. apiece. I have converted 

 several into candied citron, and can vouch for their delicious 

 flavour." 



(NOTE. It is not improbable that the soil in all those hills 

 is very suitable to the growth of the Citrus tribe. As to 

 their dissemination, nothing is easier, both by the aid of 

 monkeys, parrots, and other animals carrying the seed about, 

 and by means of inundations. Almost all the citrus float 

 well, and could easily be carried long distances during floods. 

 If stranded anywhere on land, the fruit would eventually 

 decay and the seeds would germinate. The orange-tree 

 40 feet high, which Capt. Lowther mentions is not likely to 

 have been of the sitntara variety, as this does not, as far as 

 I know, grow to any great height. It was probably of the 

 Seville group, or possibly of the Portugul variety, and pro- 

 bably a seedling. In fact, all he saw were probably seed- 

 lings.) 



* Rumphius also mentions this rope-like character of the branches of 

 the Citron. 



