232 Memoranda on the Peshawur Valley. [ No. 3, 
As is generally the case near other cities, Trans-Indus, and as far 
up as Jellalabad, there are about Peshawur a good many trees of 
Phani« dactylifera, but the fruit, though carefully protected from the 
birds by nets, is I believe never good, The abundance of dates which 
are consumed by the inhabitants are mostly imported from the west. 
The Azadirachta Indica (nim) does not grow here, (it reaches 
Lahore) but its congener Melia Azedarach (bakdin Hindi, drek 
Punjabi) is easily raised and common, 
Dalbergia Sissoo is commonly planted, and grows to a great size, 
and of it there are occasionally magnificent old trees in villages, and at 
tombs, &c. ; one of these near Akora, being called, I believe, ‘ Gilbert’s 
tree,” from an erroneous tradition that under it the “ flying General” 
received the submission of the Sikhs! or Affghans! whom he had 
here caught up after the battle of Goojrat. 
Besides these the ordinary trees planted by groves and by way- 
sides, &c. are Acacia Lebbek, Morus levigata, Tamarix Gallica 
(on the lower saline parts in large groves by villages,) and Zizyphus 
Jujuba. Salia Babylonica (2) is abundant by water-courses, &c., al- 
though Royle suggests that Hlphinstone’s “ trees like willows” of the 
western Punjab, are Salvadora. 
Moringa pterygosperma, Populus alba, Cassia fistula and Bauhinia 
variegata are much less frequent than the above; Sesbania Atgyptiaca 
is common as hedges, and Parkinsonia grows well; Ficus religiosa and 
F. Indica are occasional in villages, and Salix Afgyptiaca is cultivated 
to some extent for the fragrant bed mushk distilled from its flowers, 
which is a favourite ingredient in the sherbets of the natives and 
supposed to be possessed of great virtues. Cupressus sempervivens 
flourishes in gardens as does Populus fastigiata, the latter called 
by the natives Kashmiri sufedar, so that it may have been introduced 
from Kashmir, where it abounds ; very stunted specimens of Platanus 
orientalis and of Juglans regia occur in one or two gardens. 
Peshawur was, by its early European visitors (from Elphinstone 
up to our conquest of the Punjab) much lauded for its fruits, but per- 
haps unduly so, as almost the only kinds now cared for by Europeans 
are grapes and peaches, both of which are in their season (June, July) 
plentiful and excellent. Besides these, Quinces, Pomegranates, Plums, 
Figs, and various members of the orange family thrive well, and it is 
very pleasant, in-spring, to ride round the extensive “ peach gardens” 
