244 



222. The most important area 



(4) Hill of hill forest in British territory is situated in the North -West 



inn?* ts Himalaya, as will be seen from the map, Plate XXII. A brief 



in North- description of the zones of forest traversed on ascending the 



We? em Himalayas, starting, say, from Kalsi in the Dehra Dun and 



Himalaya, proceeding via Chakrata, will give a fair idea of the chief 



characteristics of this type of forest. The different zones of 



vegetation may be conveniently numbered serially as below, 



beginning with the lowest, it being of course remembered that 



the transition from any one zone to the next is often gradual 



and not sharply denned. 



ZONE I. Elevation 1500' 3000 . 



SAL predominates, mixed with several species of the deci- 

 duous forests, such as Terminalia tomentosa, Anogeis- 

 sus latifolia, Ougeinia dalbergioides, Adina 

 cordifolia, Odina Wodier and others. 

 The Ghir Pine (Pinus longifolid) also occurs as 

 scattered trees, or in small patches, and the 

 Sal here usually attains only small dimensions. 

 Common and characteristic species also in these outer 

 hills are 



Boehmeria rugulosa, Bauhinia retusa and Engelkardtia 

 spicata. 



ZONE II. Elevation 3000' 6000'. 



CHIK PINE predominates, mixed with small trees of Zone 

 I at lower elevations and higher up with 

 The Ban Oak (QuercAis incana) Rhododendron 



arboreum, Pieris ovalifolia. 



In valleys Quercus glauca, Meliosma pungens, 

 Albizzia Julibrissin, Rhus Cotinus, Ccltis 

 australis and Olea glandulifera are common. 



ZONE III. Elevation 6000' 8000'. 



DEODAR predominates, mixed with Rhododendron 

 arboreum, Ban Oak, Moru Oak (Quercus dilatata), 

 Blue Pine (Pinus excelsa), Spruce (Picea Morinda] 

 and many broad-leaved trees such as Betula alnoides, 

 Populus ciliata, Horse-chestnut, Walnut, Elm, Hazel, 

 Hornbeam, Maples, and Holly. Among shrubs 

 occurring in this zone are Berberis, Euonymus, 

 Rhamnus, Abelia, Viburnum., Lonicera, Deutzia, 

 Indigofera, Desmodium, Spiraea, Rubus, Rosa, 

 Cotoneasier, and Salix. A.mong climbers are 



