OR EAST INDIA BUTTER TREE. 507 



Air. GoTT, (who is stationed in the vicinity of 

 that country,) to make tlie necessary inquiries ; 

 and from him I procured an abundance of well 

 preserved specimens, at various times, in leaf, 

 flower, and fruit. From tliese, and tliat gentle- 

 man's account of the tree, and its product, the 

 foregoing description, and the annexed figures, 

 were taken. 



The same sample, which I got from Captain 

 Hardwicke, in January 1803, I have still by 

 me. It remains perfectly sweet, both in taste 

 and smell. Its flavour is that of cloves ; having, 

 I presume, been perfumed with that spice, previ- 

 ously to its falling into his hands, a practice men- 

 tioned in the followina; narrativ^e. Ac this instant 

 the thermometer is at ninety-five, and tor these 

 six weeks, it has rarely been below ninety, and 

 has often risen to one hundred, or more, yet it 

 continues about as firm as butter is in England 

 durins: winter. 



o 



]\Ir. Gott's account of the tree, and its pro- 

 duct, is as follows : — 



The tree producing a fat-like substance, known 

 in this country by the name of Phulwah, is a na- 

 tive of the Almorah hills, and known there by the 

 same name. The tree is scarce, grows on a strong 

 soil, on the declivities of the southern aspects of 

 the hills below Almorah, generally attaining the 

 height, when full grown, of fifty feet, with a 

 circumference of six. The bark, of such speci- 

 mens as I have been able to obtain, is inclined 

 to smoothness, and speckled ; it flowers in Janu- 

 ary, and the seed is perfect about August, at which 

 time the natives collect them, for the purpose 

 of extracting the above su^^stance. On opening 



