SCENERY AND SUPERFICIAL ASPECTS OF THE COUNTRY. II 



nalia cke&ula), the wood of which is valuable, and the dried fruits 

 are the Black myrobalans of commerce ; Bakli {Anogeissus latifolia) 

 abundant in hilly parts and nearly always restricted to southern slopes. 

 On account of its hardness it is extensively used for furniture, agri- 

 cultural implements, ship-building, and it is also used as fuel. Sa*ndan 

 (Ougeinia dalbergioides) ) abundant on hot, dry slopes, and ascending 

 to 5,000 feet in some places ; a useful wood of the same character as 

 the last. Tendu or the Ebony tree {Diospyros), found on hilly exposed 

 tracts; a beautiful furniture wood. Toon [Cedrela Toona), rare, in 

 damp shady valleys only. This is also a highly-prized furniture wood ; 

 it is also lopped for cattle ; the bark is a powerful astringent, and 

 from the flowers a yellowish dye is made. Riuna (Mallotus phillipi- 

 nenszs), a large shrub with a deep red fruit, the size of a holly berry, 

 is a common sight in these hills. The red dust covering the fruit is 

 used principally as a dye. 



Among these trees in the natural forest, the climbers MaMjan 

 (Bauhinia Vahlii) and Gauj (Milletia auriculata) are frequently 

 conspicuous ; but as they do much damage, by smothering the trees to 

 which they cling, they are destroyed in the reserved parts. 



There is perhaps no more characteristic feature among these forests 

 than that afforded by the Haldu, the Pipal, and the Semal. The 

 two former generally grow solitarily or in small clumps, in low flat 

 country, by the banks of streams or at the foot of the hills. The 

 Haldu (Adina cordifolia) is a useful shade tree, and is also of value for 

 its wood. It is common in the Bhibar country, and gives the name to 

 the villages Haldwani, Haldukhdta, Halduwila, &c. This tree is said 

 by Mr. Hearle to be dying out in the Ganges Division of forests, as no 

 young trees are to be found thriving. Further east, however, this does 

 not seem to be the case. The Pipal (Ficus religiosa and F. cordi- 

 folia), being sacred to the Hindus, is planted by them near villages 

 and shrines, though it also grows wild. Both the last two trees form 

 magnificent spectacles when full-grown, as they attain to the great 

 size of 80 to 90 feet. The ground near one is commonly chosen as a 

 camping-ground, for the sake of the shelter it affords. Another 



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