388 THE TIMBER TREES AND USEFUL PLANTS 
north-west again in the Upper Punjab, it is not uncommon by streams 
in the plains. Its bark, &c, is used medicinally. 
93. Boehmeria salicifolia, Royle, tusdrd. This shrub, the fibre of 
which is used for making ropes, hardly extends outside the Siwaliks. 
94. Nyctanthes arbortristis, L., kiera {harsinghdr of native gardens) 
common on the Siwaliks but hardly extends beyond their skirts. In 
Bengal the rough leaves are used for polishing wood ; and in most parts 
of India the flowers furnish a perishable yellow dye but they do not 
appear to be collected in the forest. 
95. Odina Wodier, Rox : jingan. This quick -growing tree, which 
attains a large size, and whose dark bark splits off in thin scales is com- 
mon all over the forest, especially in the inner part. The reddish heart- 
wood is said to be tolerably durable, but the timber generally is little 
esteemed, and is chiefly used for planks, sides of cots, drums, and in 
other parts of India for sword-scabbards. 
Large quantities of gum {jingan or kanni ka gond) exude spontane- 
ously from the bark of this tree, and much is collected for export. It is 
used by dyers, cloth-printers, for making ink, and in medicine, and is 
practically divided into two kinds. These are 1st, the white, generally 
called kanne, of which a man can gather 1 seer a day, to be sold for 
about half an anna (?) to the dealers ; 1 maund — /4 ; 10 seers 1/ — ; 
and 2nd, the black, jingan kagond which consists nominally of what 
has fallen to the ground, but is almost invariably mixed and sold with 
that of Conocarjpus (No. 40). Of the black gum, one man can col- 
lect 5 seers in a day, which brings him in — /l. 1 maund — /3 ; 15-32 
seers 1/ — . Both are gathered about April. 
96. Orthanthera viminea, Wight, (chupkeea). A bush common in 
stream-beds in the forest, the fibre of which has been recommended 
"for cordage. 
97. Aralia digitata, Rox : (Paratropia venulosa, W. and A.) A 
handsome climber which occasionally occurs. 
98. Pentaptera tomentosa, Rox : sein, asiu (saj). This fine tree, which 
has a dark bark, rough and longitudinally furrowed, not unlike that of 
sal, is or has been common all over the inner part of the forest. The 
timber is reddish, tough, strong, and durable ; sp. gr. 986 ; a six feet 
bar, two inches square, was found by Baker to break with 903 lbs., and 
it was the most elastic of all the woods experimented on by him. It is 
employed for general purposes here, and in the Peninsula carriage-shafts 
are made of it. In some parts of India, but not here, the bark is used 
by dyers. 
99. Phoenix acaulis, Ham ; kajiirl. The stemless palm is abundant 
in the open parts of the inner half of the forest. The stalks of the 
fruit-branches are so short that the small dates are half buried in the 
earth. The ripe fruit is red, sweet, and edible. In Behar an inferior 
