i86 
BOTANICAI TOUR IN CHAMBA AND KANGRA. 
mostly through cultivated land, Here and there the shade cast by 
small willow groves assists to mitigate the intense heat experienced 
along the exposed paths. Everywhere Apricot and Walnut tr^es 
are carefully preserved. It was past the fruiting season of the 
former, but the latter bore fruits of excellent quality which were 
greedily consumed, fresh from the tree, by my native followers. At 
Kulel, a broad lateral valley, well wooded with pine trees, opens out 
towards the east ; but the main valley continues in a northerly direc- 
tion. The slopes of the latter are excessively steep, but are green 
with herbage. There are many good plants to be found around 
Kulel. 
The next march was to Tisa, a village of importance judged by 
the standard of the country. There are three small rivers to be 
crossed on the way, and the flora along their courses is interesting. 
In one village we passed some trees of Cratcegus Oxyacantha^ 
cultivated for its fruit, which is of the size of a small plum and is consi- 
dered palatable by the people. Rubus ellipticus, now in leaf only, is 
common enough to yield a moderate quantity of fruit. Taking into 
consideration that the climatic conditions of this State are, to all 
appearances, favourable to fruit culture, it is difficult to understand 
why its capability in this direction has not been encouraged and 
developed. The camping ground at Tisa is on a small flat above 
the bungalow, and a considerable portion of its area is shaded by a 
noble Poplar (Populus ciltata), the base of the stem of which is 
surrounded by a slate platform. 
The succeeding march was to Alwas. After a short ascent above 
the village of Tisa the path crosses the ridge and strikes into a small 
Deodar forest. Lower down many groups of Quercus dilatata occur; 
this is an exceedingly common tree everywhere at this elevation. 
Further on there is a most interesting forest which descends to a 
river. Mar lea be gonioe folia, Parrottia facquemontiana, Ulmus 
campestris, Carpinus, Csesalpinia sepiaria, Berchemia florihunda, 
Rosa moschata, Impatiens of many species, and ferns in great variety 
are examples of the plants to be found here. Onwards the landscape 
again becomes bare and dreary, relieved sometimes by copses and 
village-lands. However, after descending to another river, the vege- 
tation became more luxuriant and we gradually approach the pine 
forests which sweep upwards to the limit of trees. Purple and yellow 
Balsams are gregarious in moisi ravines, Pedicularis gracilis, a 
yellow Corydalis, Dispsacus inerrnis, Cnicus, Senecio, Polygonum^ 
Potentilla. and many other plants are abundant- 
Above and around the camping ground ac Alv/as are -dark pine 
