260 Memoranda on the Peshawur Valley. [No. 3, 
fibres of its bark are of great strength, but I am not aware of this 
property being taken advantage of for economical purposes. 
Acacia modesta is an abundant and characteristic shrub. Its 
flowers in spring have a most agreeable and powerful odour, easily 
felt at a distance of many yards to leeward of a bush in full blossom; 
and it furnishes good but very small timber, suitable for making 
ploughs, &e. 
Medicago maculata and Trifolium repens do not appear to have 
been previously found in the plains of India, but the one is common 
and the other occasional near Peshawur and in the Trans-Indus 
districts generally. 
Acacia catechu and Butea frondosa might have been included in 
the list of Peshawur Leguminose, as they were collected (though 
both are very rare) in the district. They have, however, been exclud- 
ed, as the specimens were lost at Nowshera—with the other results 
of my first two seasons botanizing in the valley—ain the flood of the 
Cabul river, caused by the great Indus cataclysmof 1858. 
On two occasions only were very young plants of Kubus lasiocar- 
pus found, in the beds of streams, and they may have been seedlings 
accidentally brought down from the hills. 
Trapa bispinosa is by no means common and has possibly been 
introduced. 
Grislea tomentosa was found only close to the Swat river near its 
débouchement from the hills. 
Tamarix orientalis is one of the trees very commonly planted about 
villages, &c., and I am not sure that I have ever seen it wild. It is 
a very handsome tree and looks a shady one (indeed, Elphinstone 
alludes to its shade as being extremely sombre,) but in reality, its 
slender, rod-like branches, with very minute leaves, afford a most in- 
adequate defence from the sun, as experience soon teaches the frontier 
campaigner. Its wood is of little value. 
The only Compositous plant that seems to require special notice is 
Carthamus oxyacantha which is abundant throughout the valley. 
An oil is extracted from its seeds which is both burned and used in 
cookery. Its parched seeds are eaten, and when ground, they are 
made into bread which is considered very nutritious. Col. Sykes 
gives similar information with regard to the uses of the allied Cartha- 
mus (Onobroma) Persicus, 
