56 The Vegetation of the Islands of the Indus Hiver. [No. 2, 



Tamarix dioica, ' Pilchee,' (Scindee and Punjabee,) first met with in 

 any abundance on the Balaas near Bukree ; above that station it 

 gradually takes the place of T. Indica. It is greatly used for all 

 thatching purposes, basket-work, &c. 



Tamarix orientalis, ' Asree-loua' (Scindee,) is an unknown tree on 

 the Balaas, but on the mainland it not unfrequently forms a prominent 

 object in the landscape, generally near villages. The tree lives best 

 in a dry and salt soil, where it very rapidly produces large timber, 

 but this does not make such good fuel as the T. Indica. 



The native names of these Tamarisks are much confounded even by 

 the natives themselves. The name ' Furas' in the Punjab is applied 

 to all, but chiefly to T. Orientalis. They are so very much like each 

 other that this is not to be wondered at. Edgeworth, in his Flora 

 Mallica, calls T. dioica, l Lai,' and T. Gallica (— T. Indica) l Pilchi.' 

 I would consider the Scindee names as typical, from their being 

 connected with something further than simply the tree as it grows, 

 viz. in the one case the value of the wood for fuel, T. Indica, ' Laee,' 

 ' Jlmo ;' in another the use of the shrub for thatching purposes and the 

 known fact of this kind never producing wood, T, dioica, ' Pilchee ;' 

 and lastly with the fact that it forms a large tree, the wood of which 

 is not so good for fuel, T. Orientalis, ' Asree-loua.' 



Phcenix dactijlifera, is occasionally to be seen on the Balaa land 

 between Sukker and Mooltan, where it is very common on the main- 

 land also. A splendid grove of these trees, surrounding Sukker, is 

 seen from a long distance off. After leaving Kotree some forty miles, 

 we see none of this tree until Sukker comes in sight, whereas round 

 Kotree it is very abundant, and at and near Mooltan it is also very 

 abundant. 



Saechatum Munji, ' Moonj,' (Scindee and Punjabee). Thousands 

 of acres of river land are covered with this useful grass, the value of 

 which might be greatly raised by the introduction of machinery 

 for converting it into pulp for the Paper Maker. And Sukker would 

 be the place for starting such an establishment, as it grows chiefly 

 above Sukker, to which place it could be floated down the river at 

 little or no cost. This very floating down would aid in the treatment 

 required by all fibres to bring them into a fit condition for working. 

 The surrounding country yields immense quantities of an Alkali 



