514 



SIMLA. 



chiefly Andropogon and Schoenanthus ; Gnaphalia, Buddlsea, Labiata, 

 Polygonum of Chugur, Thymus, etc., and the crest of the same is 

 chiefly occupied by the undescribed oak. 



But where the ridge takes a north and south direction, the west 

 face becomes almost exclusively occupied by Deodars, among which 

 as one proceeds up, Pinus Smithiana occurs ; after turning again close 

 to the little Bazar on the north face, the road continues on this side 

 to Fagoo, extending through a heavy and magnificent forest of Pinus 

 Smithiana and Quercus semecarpifolius, the Deodar almost ceasing to 

 appear ; occasional knolls are passed, on which grasses, Gnaphalium, 

 etc. occur, the scenery is very beautiful, the trees being ornamented 

 with the grey pendulous lichen, and with Neckerse, particularly the 

 dark Neckera pendula. The underwood consists here and there of 

 shrubs, but generally herbaceous vegetation, as grasses, Gnapha- 

 lia, etc. 



In fact Muhassoo is genuinely Himalayan. 



From Fagoo eastward the country is bare, except at great eleva- 

 tions ; near Muttiara to the north, forest- clad mountains occur, also 

 at Huttoo, and far away to the eastward other fir-clad ridges appear. 



It may be said that the really fine forests are restricted above, 

 within 8,000 feet. 



The Smithia pine is a really fine tree, often 100 feet high, and 

 three to five feet in diameter, known by its downward curved bran- 

 ches, pendulous branchlets, and pendulous oblong cones : many dead 

 trees from the effects of barking were observed. It is worthy of 

 remark, that potatoes are now cultivated in these woods. 



The Deodar is not so large as Smithia, and is known by its tabular 

 branches and ovoid erect cones. 



Andropogoneous grasses occur high up ; even at the summit Acan- 

 thacese occur, scarcely any change in the terrestrial ferns, among 

 which Adiantum is found in profusion along the road, little change 

 in Mosses, a Polytrichum occurs at the higher elevations, also a Di- 

 cranum on dead trunks of trees. 



The only new arboreous vegetation consists in an Acer, which is a 

 small tree, also a small Poplar and Quercus semecarpifolius, this 

 varies greatly, Pinus Smithiana, Limonia laureola, a shrubby Rhodo- 

 dendron. 



Fagoo is only 5,600 feet above the adjacent heights. 



On the edge of the forest, the following genera, etc. were noticed — 



Spiraea bella and S. aruncus,* Berberis asiatica, Swertia, grasses 



