148 Royleh Illustrations of the Natural History 



kernels. These may also be found in the bazaars, under the name of hadam- 

 kohee, or hill almonds. The oil has a slight smell of hydrocyanic acid, and 

 must resemble that from almonds, especially the bitter kind, or that obtained 

 from Prunus brigantiaca. 



" Specimens of the cherry, or aloo-baloo, which I obtained from Cashmere, 

 appear to Dr. Lindley not to differ from the common species, which therefore 

 is probably that met with at Caubul, perhaps also at Bokhara. The fruit of 

 Cerasus Puddum, common in the Himalayas, is not edible, but is employed for 

 making a well-flavoured cherry-brandy, though not distilled like the Mrschen- 

 wasser ; the bark (pudmak) is used in medicine, as is that of species of cherry 

 in the United States and Mexico, ferasus undulata and capricida (the last 

 so called from the leaves being poisonous to goats), and C. cornuta, remarkable 

 for its pod-like monstrosity, are handsome and showy trees, growing on lofty 

 mountains, and worthy of introduction into England. 



" The plum is known in India in a dried state, under the name of aloo- 

 bokkara, though chiefly cultivated about Ghuzni. It was seen by Lieut. 

 Burnes, both at Koondooz and Bokhara, whence it may originally have been 

 introduced into the kingdom of Caubul. Specimens of the plants from Cash- 

 mere appear to Dr. Lindley to be a new species, Prunus bokhariensis nob. 

 To this kind, kokamalis is applied as the Greek name in Persian works on 

 Materia Medica. From Irki, near Sabathoo, a small, yellow, thin-skinned, 

 and very juicy sweet plum was introduced into the Saharunpore Garden, and 

 which, though I considered to be a new species {P. Alobcha), is very like a 

 variety of the common plum. It is this, probably, which is called green gage 

 by travellers. Mr. Moorcroft also mentions a plum in Ludak, Cerasus tomen- 

 tosa Wall., Cat. N., 715. Prunus triflora Roxb. is a plum now common in 

 gardens in India, which Dr. Roxburgh states was originally introduced from 

 China. The peach, apricot, cherry, and plum all exude gum in Northern 

 India. 



" Of the Pomaceae, the quince plants, introduced from Cashmere, do not 

 dififer from those already in India, Cydonia vulgaris Pers. The seeds {bihee 

 dana) being mucilaginous, and used in medicine, are imported from Caubul 

 and Cashmere into Northern, and by the Persian Gulf into Southern, India. 



" Of pears, that of Samurcund is most noted : they are plentiful at Caubul, 

 and excellent at Peshawur; and are brought into India by the northern mer- 

 chants from Cashmere and Boodurwar. In the gardens of India, the only 

 kind known is one introduced from China, Pjrus sinica, or sand-pear, which 

 more nearly resembles the baking pear than any other I know. P. Pdshia 

 Ham., P. variolosa Wall., or wild pear tree of the hills, attains a great size; 

 but the fruit is not edible until it becomes somewhat decayed. P. lanata and 

 crenata are other species of this genus, which are found at^ higher elevations. 

 The first affords an edible fruit called paltoo. 



" Apples alone of the tribe succeed well in the southern parts of India, as 

 thejr are stated to be excellent at Bangalore and in Tirhoot; and, though 

 small, of a good quality in most parts of Northern India. As an instance of 

 the difficulty attendant on the introduction of European plants into Northern 

 India, it may be mentioned, that an apple tree from Liverpool, in consequence 

 of being the only one which survived, cost upwards of 70/. before it was 

 planted in the nursery at Mussooree, where, however, it was thriving along 

 with the fruit trees introduced from Cashmere. The apple is grown in some 

 of the villages of the Himalaya, as well as in Kunawur. They are remarkably 

 fine at Peshawur and Caubul, and are brought down to India from Boodurwar 

 and Cashmere. On the northern face of the mountains they are grown both 

 at Balkh and Bokhara, and are remarkably fine at the former." 



(jranatecE. — There is only one genus, Punica (which, Mr. 

 Royle says, might be retained in iVfyrtaceae), originally of Western 

 Asia, but which has extended into the south of Europe, and 

 been taken from thence to India and the north of Africa. 



