194 FLORA INDICA, 



Melastomacem, and BegonicB, which form so conspicuous a 

 part of the vegetation of the humid eastern Himalaya^ occur 

 in very small numhers in Kumaon, rapidly diminish to the 

 westward, and scarcely extend beyond the Satlej. Streptoli- 

 rion and Adenocaulon, two of Mr. EdgewortVs most remark- 

 able discoveries in the Simla Himalaya, which there find their 

 western limit, are in like manner Sikkim forms. Balanophora 

 also extends west as far as the Satlej, while Colquhounia and 

 Heterophragma have not been found west of Kumaon. 



The cultivation of fruit-trees afibrds a remarkable exempli- 

 fication of the difiference between the climate of the Eastern 

 and Western Himalaya. In Sikkim no European fruit of 

 any kind, save the strawberry, comes to perfection ; even the 

 peach, the only commonly cultivated tree, does not ripen 

 its fruit, and the apricot, the most abundant Western Hi- 

 malayan fruit, is unknown. In central Nipal, apples, figs, 

 peaches, quinces, and apricots, all ripen, but hardly arrive at 

 perfection. Towards the interior of Kumaon apricots and 

 all the above fruits become abundant, with the pear and 

 cherry; and from Kumaon westward, vineyards and large 

 orchards form a conspicuous feature in the scenery of all 

 interior temperate valleys. 



Of the cerealia. Wheat and Barley are the staple crops (as 

 throughout Northern India) ; the various millets and rice 

 are however cultivated in hot valleys at all elevations below 

 5-6000 feet, with occasionally maize and sugar-cane. Buck- 

 wheat is grown at 5-8000 feet, and the various Amaranthacem 

 of the Eastern Himalaya extend also to the Western. The 

 cultivation of Tea on the slopes of the outer ranges of Ku- 

 maon and Kulu appears to be increasing with great rapidity, 

 and promises to be eminently successful. 



The coniferous trees which are common to the Eastern 

 and the Western Himalaya are— 1. Pinus longifolia, which is 

 found on drier exposures from 7000 as low as 2000 feet, 

 and extends to the mountains of Hindu Kiish. 3. P. excelsa, 

 which occurs in all parts of the Himalaya (except Sikkim), 



