1835.1 Account of the Botanic Garden at Seharanpur. 55 



cultivating, the hemp, as during the war, when the usual supplies were 

 cut off, it was proposed to grow it in large quantities in this coun- 

 try and Dr. Roxburgh made numerous trials on the comparative 

 strength of the several articles employed by the natives in India, and 

 proposed that hemp should be cultivated in large quantities in the 

 Upper Provinces. This was before it was known, that some of the 

 finest hemp in the world is to be found in the hills, where it is already 

 employed by the natives for making ropes to cross their rivers, and for 

 the manufacture of a coarse cloth much valued in the plains. The most 

 beneficial results might also be obtained by the introduction of better 

 kinds of cotton seed for the cultivation of superior kinds of cotton. 

 Attempts have been made with two species. Samples of both were sent, 

 the one an American, and the other an indigenous perennial species, 

 to Mr. Saunders, who pronounced the staple of the former to be better 

 than that of specimens sent of cotton commonly cultivated in this 

 country, which he however considered of very excellent fabric ; but 

 the cotton of the perennial species, or gossypium arboreum, he thought 

 the best description of cotton, the fabric and staple being both good. 



As useful in the different arts, it may be mentioned that a very ex- 

 cellent rosin is produced by the saul tree; while a variety of gumsy 

 which likewise form articles of commerce, are produced by several trees 

 from the lower hills now naturalized at Seharanpur. The fine sugar 

 for which the Seharanpur district is remarkable, is chiefly refined with 

 the mucilage of two plants, kydia calycina and hibiscus abel-moschus. 

 Tn the subjoined lists are shown the plants used as dyes, as well as those 

 which afford materials for the tanning of leather. Among those which 

 afford fixed oils are some of which advantage might be taken to supply 

 excellent substitutes for the olive oil now imported from Europe. The 

 apricot oil sent down to Calcutta was highly approved of. Of plants 

 affording saccharine matter, it is needless to speak, as sugar is so 

 abundant, and with very little trouble might be manufactured of 

 very superior quality. Fcecula or starch, besides forming a principal 

 part of the several grains, abounds in many tuberous roots, of which the 

 peculiarities have been hitherto uninvestigated : very excellent salep 

 has been made from some of the Orchis tribe, and jelly is afforded 

 by a variety of plants. 



The unaccountably little attention which has hitherto been paid in 

 India to vegetable chemistry* must account for the want of precision 



* The analysis by Mr. Piddington of the Rohana bark, Swietenia febrifuga, 

 published in the 5th volume of the Transactions of the Medical Society, is an useful 

 indication of what may be effected by attention being turned in this direction. 



