1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 119 



numerous, but on the first sign of drought, their roots are dug up as 

 fodder for cattle, sheep and camels. By such measures not only is 

 the influence of vegetation, as at once the conservator and attracter 

 of moisture, interfered with, but the hard surface being broken up and 

 loosened by the removal of the roots that bind it into consistency, 

 the naturally light and sandy soil is exposed to the fall force of the 

 prevailing W. and S. W. winds. 



The territory of Marwar lies between the Aravalli range of hills 

 on the East, and the desert on the West, and the fertility of any part 

 of it is in direct proportion to its distance from the latter boundary. 

 At the base of the Aravalli lies God war, the garden of Western Raj- 

 pootana, while on the margin of the desert is situated the barren and 

 inhospitable district of Mullanee. Sandstorms of long duration and 

 great severity are extremely common at certain seasons, and they 

 invariably blow from the west. Much that I saw and heard during 

 a year's residence in Marwar leads me to believe that the loose sand 

 of the west is gradually overwhelming the east, and as the process 

 goes on, the reign of barreness extends eastward. 



It would be rash to say that the ruthless destruction of vegetation 

 just described, is the sole cause of the alleged increasing frequency 

 of scarcity in Marwar, but it may with safety be admitted 'that some 

 attention to the conservation of forests (including in the latter term 

 all the vegetable products of waste lands) would be likely to increase 

 the supply of moisture in these regions. Every one knows the diffi- 

 culty of planting trees in a dry district where the soil has been opened 

 up to the influence of the sun and air, and where all shade has been 

 removed by the cutting of trees. 



Dry as Marwar is, however, several species of trees and shrubs 

 could be successfully planted in the rainy season. 



Chief among these are the three species of Acacia — Arabica, leu- 

 eophlcea and Catechu, — Salvadora Persica, several species of Zizyphus 

 and Gapparis ajphylla. The two first mentioned are valuable as tim- 

 ber trees. 



Should a railway, as is proposed, be laid down in Rajpootana, the 

 subject will become one of importance to our interests, but without 

 the interference of our Government, nothing whatever will be done by 

 the native rulers, whose interests are really most affected. 



