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BHOTIA MEHALS 



oaks, succeed the " Raisalla" or king pine, " Thuners" or Yew, 

 " Naspati,"* or white Rhododendron, and " Bhidhara" or juniper, while 

 above all is found the Bhoj, or birch, on the very verge of perpetual snow. 



The bark of this latter is highly useful, as a substitute for paper, and 

 for other domestic purposes, and is exported in considerable quantities to 

 the plains. The sprigs of the " Bindhara," (juniper) and of the " Suryi" 

 (Arbor Vitae) are used in the preparation of yeast, " Balma." The most 

 common shrubs are the " Parpinja" (ground cypress,) dog roses, red 

 and white, and sweet briar. 



Flowers are plentiful, more particularly the Iris and Anemone. 



The domestic animals are horned cattle, ponies, sheep, goats, dogs, 

 and cats. 



The horned cattle are of three kinds. 1st. The common hill black 

 cattle, of which a few are carried up for the supply of milk, and of agri- 

 cultural labor. 2ndly. The " Sura Gai" or Yak, imported from Tartary, 

 chiefly for the purpose of carriage, for which it is well adapted by its 

 strength : its employment is, however, restricted to the Himalaya, owing 

 to its extreme susceptibility of heat and moisture. The third kind 

 consists of mules, bred between the two foregoing species. Where the 

 sire is a Yak, the produce is called " Jabbu," and in the opposite 

 cross, it is called *< Garjo" These breed freely together, or with the 

 parent stock; but in the former case, the race degenerates : in the 

 latter, the produce resumes the character of the parent, into which it 



may 



# u 



Naspati," so called from the leaf being used dry, and pounded as snuff. 



