680 Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. CAugust, 



The tussur worm is reared on the assena trees (Terminalia alata to- 

 mentosa) which are left standing wherever the jangle is cleared and 

 their branches are kept lopped to a certain height, the more easily to 

 allow of collecting the cocoons, great quantities of which are also found 

 in the forests; they are mostly bartered to the merchants from the 

 plains, but some are spun and wove into coarse pieces for the wealthier 

 ryots and zemindars of the country. 



The lac insect is said to abound in the Nursinghur district, north of 

 Dholbhoom, it has lately been imported and propagated in that purgun- 

 nah. It thrives on the peepul " Ficus religiosa" also on the kussum. 



Those people who collect lac and attend to its culture, have certain 

 superstitious rules, which they strictly adhere to, thinking that the 

 slightest neglect will displease the patron deity and cause failure. 

 They believe that there are certain quarters of the moon, and certain 

 days, on which the insects taken from the parent stock must be spread 

 on the trees, the persons who perform this office abstain from food 

 or drink, neither do they wash nor perform any of nature's functions, 

 there are other minor rules which I cannot recall to memory. 



Dhoona (the resin of the sal tree) is collected in considerable quan- 

 tities, and likewise bartered. 



I believe that very few deer hides and horns are collected in these 

 parts of Orissa, although there is no scarcity of ruminants of various 

 species, amongst which are the formidable Gowri Gaw (Bosgaurus.) 



The forest abounds in fine timber, but unfortunately the largest and 

 soundest trees are usually found in the most inaccessible glens. The 

 Tendoo or bastard ebony grows to a great size and is very common ; 

 some trees produce very fine logs, and of any length, large quantities 

 of this wood rough wrought in thin bars of from two to three feet in 

 length, are exported to Mednipiir where they are sold to the turners 

 and converted into rulers, walking clubs, and hooka pipes, and ulti- 

 mately sent to Calcutta. 



There are many kinds of wood which I have no doubt would 

 answer well for furniture purposes, that of the nux-vomica in particular, 

 as no insect will go near it, not even the white ant, it is hard with 

 rather a fine grain and pretty colour; the tree grows to a great height 

 and size. 



A small quantity of " Kuth" (catechu) is prepared from the Krere 

 "mimosa catechu" but not for exportation. 



The pullas (Butea Fundosa) grow in the Keunjur jungles in 

 greater numbers than in those of Mohurbhunj, and if there were a sale 

 for the gum, no doubt the people would collect it. 



