BOTANICAL TOUR IN THE LAKHIMPUR DISTRICT, ASSAM. 63 
cus and Castanopsis are invariably found on them and on low 
grounds Dillenia indica is, throughout the valley, one of the con- 
stituent^ trees. On high ground Artocarpus Chaplaska occurs all 
over the valley, while Nahor ” (Mesua ferrea) is common in the 
evergreen forest of the upper portion, Stereospermum chelonoides 
is a characteristic tree of the evergreen forests of Upper Assam. 
The Soom ” (Machilus bomhyeina) forests of Upper Assam form 
a remarkable subdivision of this class of evergreen forest. The re- 
maining types are bamboo forests and cane brakes. 
Lagerstrcemia Regtnce, Ariocarpus Chaplaska^ Dillenia indica^ 
and Bombax malabaricum are found throughout the Assam Valley, 
Mesua ferrea is only found in the upper part although it is common 
in the evergreen forests of the Garo and Khasia Hills. SdU sissu and 
khair are only found in the lower part of the valley. Dillenia pen- 
tagyna and Lagerstrcemia indica extend upwards as far as ski with 
which they are associated.’^ 
Immediately on arrival at Dibrugarh I made arrangements for 
visiting the Makiim forest and, next morning, departed by train to 
Margherita, a beautiful place lying at the foot of the Naga Hills and 
a deservedly favourite holiday resort of the Europeans resident in 
the district. The railway is owned by the Assam Coal and Trading 
Company and runs about eight miles beyond Margherita to the 
mines. For many miles the train speeds through cultivated fields 
and tea plantations most prosperous in appearance and in reality. 
The continuous extension of the latter and the influx of industrious 
immigrants from various congested districts in India wili, in course 
of time, tend to transform this mainly forest clad division of Assam 
i < a wealthy and well populated tract. 
It appears that the Assamese, addicted to the use of opium, from 
false pride of race refuse to render labour for hire and thus leave the 
field open to strangers. Great areas in Upper Assam certainly bear 
traces of the existence of a former large and industrious population, 
and the present indolence of the people may be the outcome of years 
of oppression by surrounding tribes whose constantly recurring bar- 
barous raids would render life and property so insecure that they 
would naturally exert themselves only for their immediate personal 
requirements. However it may be, there is no reasonable doubt 
regarding the fact that Upper Assam was once in a most flourishing 
condition and that great areas afterwards relapsed from cultivation 
because the invading hill tribes and the Burmese devastated the land 
and carried off the bulk of the population to slavery leaving the 
remainder in a state of hopeless despair and lethargy from which 
they may never free themselves. 
