THE TEAK REGION 177 



of the ancients, employed for a similar purpose ; but Dr. 

 Birdwood, in a pamphlet, attempted to show that this 

 substance was procured from other species of the BoswelUa 

 in countries to the west of India. It is, however, singular 

 that its Sanscrit name, labdnd, should still so closely 

 resemble that of antiquity ; and it may perhaps be doubted 

 if our knowledge of the ancient commerce of India suffices 

 to exclude India from the list of countries which con- 

 tributed the frankincense of the BoswelUa to the fanes of 

 heathen gods. It is highly probable that some much 

 more general utility would be found in this gum resin, 

 were the attention of persons capable of testing it drawn 

 to the subject. It is also not unlikely that the soft woody 

 fibre of the tree would prove to be adapted for the manu- 

 facture of coarse paper or cloth. Should any economic 

 value be foimd to attach to any portion of the tree, the 

 supply would be practically unlimited ; and reproduction 

 of the forests would be easy in the extreme, large stakes 

 when stuck in the ground during the rainy season rapidly 

 taking root and shooting into trees. This quality of the 

 tree has recently been taken advantage of by the railway 

 company for the construction of live fence-posts on which 

 to stretch their fencing wires. The Salei is of a highly 

 social character, emulating in this respect the Sal (Shorea), 

 but admitting in a greater degree than it the companionship 

 of other species. The principal of these are the Saj 

 (Pentaptera) ; the Torchwood tree {Cochlospermum), with 

 its bright yellow sohtary flowers gleaming on the ex- 

 tremities of its naked branches; and the Ironwood tree 

 (Hardwickia binata), which is perhaps the most graceful 

 forest tree in these regions. 



The aspect of these vast forests of the BoswelUa, of 

 which the country about the Tapti is a specimen, and 

 which cover, I should say, fully one-half of the whole of 

 this trap region, is very remarkable. During the height 

 of the monsoon (July to October) the grass is green, and 

 the trees have thrown out a thin foliage of small, bright 

 green pinnated leaves. The river beds, too, are then filled 

 by foaming torrents, and the fervour of the sun is moder- 

 ated by a canopy of gray clouds. At this season one might 



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