456 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
A VISIT TO NAINI TAL, KUMAON, INDIA, 
The Summer Residence of the Lieut.-Governor of the 
North-west Provinces. 
By Mr. C. Maries, V.M.H. 
Naini Tal, Sept. 25th, 1897. 
This is not the best time to visit this beautiful hill station. 
Everything is still fresh and green on the lower hills, and from 
Katgodam Station, the terminus of the Rohilkund and Kumaon 
Railway, one passes on the road forests of Sal (Shorea robusta), first 
mixed with all kinds of Indian trees and shrubs, the giant-creeper 
Bauhinia Vahlii monopolising many trees, big Pothos covering 
whole rocks in the rushing mountain torrent bed, the banks on the 
road-sides being a perfect mass of Bamboo Grass (Arundinaria), 
Selaginellas, Adiantum Capillus-Veneris,Pteris longifolia, Cheil- 
anthes farinosa, and other ferns; and by the lesser streams are 
masses of Alocasias and Caladiums, some wfith fine black blotched 
leaves. There are no tree-ferns here, but there are many noble 
fronded ones, which look grand in their native home. There are 
also many pretty Begonias, dwarf, bulbous hairy-leaved ones 
bearing solitary seeds. Numerous Balsams, yellow and pink, are 
everywhere on the banks. Then, at about 2,500 feet, come the 
forests of Pinus longifolia (see fig. 104 for a specimen in 
spring, before the long leaves are developed), splendid trees 
many of them; and here one misses the “ Sal,” Mango, and 
Jhamun trees, their places being taken by a Maple, an evergreen 
species with lanceolate leaves; also by Oaks, Dalbergias, Acacias, 
Wild Pear, Cherry, and Brambles, here called Raspberries, that 
produce enormous quantities of red or yellowish fruit. Here 
also is a garden, close by the road in the valley, called Douglas 
Dale. Strawberries, Mulberries, and all the Orange tribe grow 
to perfection, and one of the finest Bougainvilleas I have ever seen 
grows over the porch of the house. Near by are fine Walnuts. 
It is a strange sight for one lately arrived from England to see 
plants like Coelogyne cristata, Saccolabiums, and Aerides, growing 
in the open air with Walnut trees, Weeping Willows, and Oranges. 
