270 Capt. Pemberton's Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. [April, 



the trees, which were however loaded with flowers; very fine ones 

 occur about Punukka. 



They likewise possess peaches, (perhaps the almond) and pear trees : 

 but I am unable to say of what nature the fruit may be ; we saw the 

 trees during their flowering season. 



The Bheir also occurs at low elevations ; and in the gardens of 

 Punukka I observed another species, forming a handsome good sized 

 tree, but like most of the others, it was not bearing fruit. In the 

 same garden there is cultivated a species of Diospyros with edible 

 fruit, which also I did not see, and in fact we did not appear to have 

 been in Bootan during the fruit season. The only fruit which we en- 

 joyed were walnuts ; we procured these only at Punukka, most of them 

 in presents from the Deb, and a few by purchase, but these were of in- 

 ferior quality; these walnuts are very good, and would be much better 

 were care taken at the time of gathering. The trees are said to be cul- 

 tivated in orchards at considerable elevations, but we saw no attempt 

 at any thing of the sort, although we met with a few isolated trees 

 here and there. 



On the lower ranges, but scarcely above 3000 feet, the papaw occurs, 

 but so far as I could see did not promise much return. Pine-apples, 

 which occur so profusely on the Khasy hills, and are of so much 

 use to the natives, are very rare in Bootan, as well as in those parts 

 of the Dooars which we crossed. 



On our return, we met with a fruit which promised under improved 

 cultivation to be agreeable enough ; it was about the size of a pigeon's 

 egg, with a large smooth shining black seed ; in flavour it approached 

 somewhat to the Sappadillo, to the natural family of which it would 

 seem to belong. The only ornamental tree to which the Booteas are 

 particularly attached is the weeping cypress : these occur about all 

 the castles and palaces, and especially about religious buildings. It 

 is as ornamental a tree as can be well conceived, and as it thrives 

 between elevations of 5000 to 7000 feet, I was very anxious to obtain 

 seed for introduction into England ; but all that I did obtain were bad, 

 and I imagine that the female tree was alone met with. Of the grami- 

 neous plants found wild in Bootan no use seems to be made ; wher- 

 ever such plants are in requisition for thatching, the Plains are resort- 

 ed to, as these, at least under the admirable management of the Bootea 

 government, abound with Oollookher, Kagctra, Megala, Nol, and Iko- 

 ra. The plants of the hills themselves are chiefly coarse species of An- 

 dropogon, not serviceable for thatching ; among these the lemon grass oc- 

 curs abundantly. I am not aware whether the natives of these mountains 

 use any plants occurring naturally as vegetables, cooked or uncooked ; I 



