68 



INDIA. 



TeJL 



Banyan 

 tree- 



ft* 



l plants, 



completely, > to constitute an excellent defence, in the 

 ' room of redoubts, to their fortresses. Perhaps the best 

 bamboos, for all the various purposes to which th-?y are 

 applied, grow on the western Ghauts, about the 15th 

 degree of latitude. They here compose the greatest 

 part of the forest, and equal in height the most lofty 

 palms, sometimes rising to 60 feet. Besides their uses 

 for |>a)anquiii!> and us a species of fortification, the first 

 and gmullftl shoots are made into walking canes: the 

 larger shoots and the trunk are employed by the Hin- 

 doos to construct tlieir houses, and to make all sorts of 

 furniture. They likewise make of them a kind of pails, 

 in which the water keeps extremely cool. In some 

 parts also, the young shoots are pickled with vinegar, 

 salt, garlic, &c. 



The qualities and uses of the teak tree seem to have 

 been little known or appreciated in Britain till near the 

 close of the last century. This valuable tree is found al- 

 jnoEt exclusively in India, along the western side of the 

 Ghaut mountains, and other contiguous ranges of hills, 

 particularly on the north and north-east of Bassein. 

 On the east side of India, the forests of Rajamundry, 

 which stretch from the hills on the banks of the Goda- 

 very to Potoonshah, contain abundance of these trees ; 

 and this is the only district in the east which furnishes 

 this valuable timber. In North Canara they grow in 

 considerable quantities. In the year 1800, the number 

 of teak trees cut down annually in this district, amount- 

 ed to 3000. In the province of Malabar it grows most- 

 ly about Manarghaut, in the district of Palicaudcherry. 

 From this district it is computed that about 45,000 cu- 

 bical feet of this timber might be procured annually ; 

 and on the hills above Parupanoda, which might supply 

 from 2000 to 3000 trees every year. The teak is also 

 found at a very considerable height up the Ghauts, but 

 here it is of an inferior size. 



The banyan tree must not be forgotten in this sketch 

 of Indian botany. The characteristics of this tree are 

 well known. In Hindostan there are two of wonder- 

 ful size. That which is described by Milton in his 

 Paradise Losl, stands on an island in the Nerbuddah, 

 within a few miles of Baroache. It is said by the natives 

 to be 3000 years old, and is supposed to be the largest 

 in the world, its shade being capable of sheltering 7000 

 persons. It must, however, have been considerably 

 larger than it is at present, for part of its roots have 

 been swept away, along with the banks of the river, by 

 the floods. It still measures nearly 2000 feet in cir- 

 cumference, even if those branches alone which have 

 taken root are included ; and the area which it covers 

 must be considerably larger, if the hanging branches 

 are included. Of the smaller branches there are up- 

 wards of 3000 ; and of those which are larger, and have 

 in fact become trunks, there are 350, most of which 

 exceed in circumference most English trees. The other 

 remarkable banyan tree grows in the Sarun district of 

 the province of Bahar, not far from the town of Man- 

 gee. The following are the dimensions of it. Its dia- 

 meter is from 363 to 375 feet; the circumference of 

 ts shadow at noon, 1116 feet; the circumference of 

 the several stems, which amount to between 50 and 60 

 is 921 feet. 



There are several trees and shrubs which produce 



ml, besides the cocoa-nut tree. In the vicinity of 



lU-ihoree, in North Canara, the Calopliyllum inophutlum 



rows in abundance. It is a lofty tree, frequently 90 



leet in height, and 12 in circumference. From the 



"f it, the common lamp oil of this part of India is 



extracted. It is also esteemed for the elegance of its 



Pir- 



Aloe. 



shade, and the sweetness of its blossoms. The Rid- Statistics. 



n us commitnis, common riinus, or Palma Christi, la 1 *"^V~ > ' 



cultivated in the Mysore ; the castor oil whicfi it pro- 



duces is used for the lamp, and given to uie female buf- 



faloes, for the purpose of increasing the quantity of 



their milk, as well as applied to medical purposes. This 



species of ricinus is also cultivated in the province of 



Bengal, and in other parts of Hindostan. On the Al- 



morah hills in Northern Hindostan, there grows a tree 



called by the Hindoos Phutwarrah. Its usual height 



is 50 feet, and its circumference six : from the kernels 



of the fruit a fat-like substance is extracted. There are 



only a few places where any species of the pine grows. 



It is found, however, in considerable abundance in the 



mountainous district of the province of Lahore, which 



lies near Cashmere. It is used for torches or lamps by 



the natives, cut into small slips ; but neither turpentine 



nor tar are made from it. The northern sides of the 



hills which lie on the north of the province of Delhi 



produce the common Scotch fir in great abundance. In- 



deed, it is a tree by no means uncommon in the northern 



districts of Hindostan Proper. The timber of the pines 



that grow in the Terriani district, is remarkable for its 



straightness and durability ; and from a species of the 



pine, called the Sulla pine, Kola, a pure turpentine is 



procured. The willow is generally found in those parts 



of India where the pine thrives. 



In the vicinity of Sautjur, among the Eastern Ghauts, 

 the great American aloe, Agave Americana, grows in 

 great profusion. The district of India most destitute 

 of trees, is the barren sandy track of the Carnatic. Here 

 the only trees that grow spontaneously are the Melia 

 azadirachta, or bread tree, and the Robenia mitts. All 

 the three species of Molea grows in India. The R. mi- 

 ies is also found among the rich muddy soil on the 

 banks of the Ganges. 



Of the fruit- bearing trees, we have hitherto noticed 

 only such as are also valuable and useful in other re- 

 spects ; but we must not omit the enumeration of a few 

 of the most celebrated for their fruit alone. Of all the 

 Indian fruits, the mango is generally deemed the most 

 delicious. It grows both in a wild and cultivated state other fruit-. 

 in almost every part of Hindostan, especially in the 

 southern districts. Mazagory; near Bombay, is cele- 

 brated for this fruit. Mrs. Graham informs us " that 

 the parent tree from which all those of this species have 

 been grafted, is honoured during the fruit season by a 

 guard of sepoys ; and in the reign of Shah Jehan, cou- 

 riers were stationed between Delhi and the Mahratta 

 coast, to secure an abundant and fresh supply of man- 

 gos for the royal table. At Battalah, in the Punjab, 

 a plum grows of excellent flavour, called by. the na- 

 natives aloocha. At Jamboc, in Lahore, the white 

 mulberry produces fruit of a large size, and remarkably 

 fine flavour. The trees of this kind which are culti- 

 vated for the support of silk worms will be afterwards 

 noticed. In the Silhit districts of Bengal, orange plan- 

 tations occupy a considerable tract of land. They form 

 the principal export of the country, and are sold on 

 the spot at 1000 for a rupee. Grapes have been long 

 grown in Aurungabad, near Poonah, and in the province 

 of Malwah ; and, latterly, they have been introduced 

 into Bombay. In the neighbourhood of Chikery, in 

 the territories of the Paishwah, grapes of an extraordi- 

 nary size are produced. Near Oogain, in the province 

 of Malwah, where the soil is very ricl), the vine pro- 

 duces a second crop of grapes in the rainy season, but 

 they are by no means of good quality, being very 

 tart. In Bombay, in order to prevent the fruit from 



