118 NORTHERN CIRCAES. 



distant forests, and require much persuasion to induce them to 

 fford the requisite aid, without which no timhers of the desired 

 dimensions can be procured. Again, the labour of the coolies 

 employed by the rajahs to remove the timber is compulsory and 

 unremunerated. On the other hand, if they be employed by the 

 agent, the rajah or his servant exacts a portion of their hire. 

 They are therefore not overwilling to lend a helping hand."* 



The only printed record of the Gumsiir forests is a list of the 

 trees, with remarks on their uses (Balfour's Cyclopaedia of India, 

 p. 1910), carefully compiled by Lieut. Macdonald, giving much 

 useful information ; the botanical names, chiefly extracted from 

 Sutton's Uriah Dictionary, are somewhat antiquated, and occa- 

 sionally erroneous. I took this list with me, and have corrected 

 the names of such trees as were observed in my short ex- 

 cursion. 



Sal. — The sal tree of Hindustan extends in a nearly unbroken 

 belt of forest along the Terai, from the Granges at Hurdwar to the 

 Brahma-putra (Falconer). It is abundant also on the banks of the 

 Indrawati (Beddome). It belongs to the genus Vatica of Linn. 

 (Shorea, Box.), (Sala, Sans. ; Soringhi, ?7r. ; Gugillam, Tel."); and 

 is indigenous to the mountainous parts of the Vizagapatam and 

 Ganjam collectorates. It is a smaller tree in Golconda and Kimadi 

 than in Gumsiir ; I have not seen any specimens south of the 

 Godaveri. There was some doubt as to the botanical identity of 

 the Gumsiir tree ; but I was able to determine this point when in 

 Calcutta three years ago, by comparing specimens received from 

 the Honourable Walter Elliot, then commissioner of the N. Circars 

 (who drew my attention to the subject), with the sub-Himalayan 

 specimens at the botanical garden, Calcutta ; and again, by 

 bringing down twigs this year, I find them accord precisely with 

 Boxburgh's plant. 



It may be well to notice the singular aptitude of the seed of 

 this tree for speedy germination in connection with prospective 

 measures of conservancy. " The seed has the utmost suscepti- 

 bility of germination, with a vitality so limited in duration, that 

 it will not survive many days unplanted. The sal seed ripens at 



* Records of Bengal Government, No. iii. of 1851. Settlement of Cut- 

 tack, Minute by A. I. M. Mills, Commissioner, par. 70. 



