1864.] On the Vegetation of tie Jhelum District, 311 



Syzygium Jamholanum, " Jaman." 

 JPhyllanthus JEmllica, " Howla—Aowla." 

 Feronia elepJicmtum, "Khair," which bears fruit. 

 Mangofera Indica, Mango, highly cultivated in some of the gardens. 

 Phoenix dactylifera, " Khujjoor," which, although we meet with 

 occasional specimens on the river's bank between Jhelum and this 

 place, only here occurs as naturalised, producing fruit in some quantity, 

 and tolerable in quality. 



Guilandina Bondticella, " Kut-karounja," apparently naturalised, is 

 found in profusion near gardens. 



Besides the trees mentioned, we have all the others enumerated 

 as occurring in the Jhelum tract, and all, without exception, having 

 a far finer appearance : this is due no doubt to the depth and rich- 

 ness of the alluvial soil, with a sufficiency of moisture. 



From this point passing westwards we enter upon the tract of the 

 salt plains, viz. the plains that lie between the river and the salt range 

 to the west of Pind-dadun-khan for about 30 to 40 miles, that being 

 about the extent of the Jhelum district. 



Teact of the Salt Plains. 

 In this division we have a tract of country all but a dead level, and 

 in which the cultivation is restricted mainly to the margin of the river, 

 the remainder being near the base of the hills, while between the two, 

 the land is a jungly waste, owing to the excessive impregnation of the 

 soil with saline matter. Through the whole tract, except close to the 

 river's bank, the well water is so bad, that for water for their own 

 use and for their cattle, the inhabitants are dependant on that collected 

 in mud tanks ; and for the watering of their crops on rain ; except 

 where, as at Keutha, a stream of fresh water comes clown from the 

 hills ; and in that case it is necessarily used for irrigation. Hence 

 a poor and scanty crop of Bajree and Jowar with a little cotton 

 may be considered the chief products of this tract. Along the banks 

 of the river, however, wheat and barley, with the above, and the oil- 

 seeds are largely cultivated, and yield good crops. 



On alluvial soil, as on the banks of the river, or where cultivation 

 is carried on, the Cypress variety of the Kekur, the Baer and the Date- 

 palm may be considered the characteristic trees. 



On the land incapable of cultivation we have a jungle consisting of 

 stunted trees, bushes and shrubs, viz,— 



9 a 



M 



