e, the largest in
the valley, and very pretty. Poplars and willows in plenty along river.
Near Sir-i-Chushme the valley becomes narrow; the river passing through a
gorge, on the left side of which on rugged rocky ground, are the remains
of a tower. The rocks here are mica slate, reposing at a considerable
angle, occasionally nearly vertical. The surface is thinly vegetated,
Silenacea, two or three _Muscoides_ (981), Scrophulariae sp., common,
etc. (see Catal. 971, etc.) Beyond, the valley again widens, presenting
similar features to those just mentioned. To the right side of the
valley there is a beautiful narrow ravine, bounded on the south with
springs, to the north by a noble bleak rugged ridge, with much snow; it
has the usual features, namely, a shingly inclined plane between huge
hills. The village of Sir-i-Chushme is built on a rising ground or small
spur, surrounded by numerous springs which supply the source of the Cabul
river; the bed of which above them is nearly dry. The springs abound
with the usual water plants, a Cinclidotoid moss in abundance, a Celtoid
tree stands over one spring; Peganum continues. A shallow circular pool
occurs at the foot of the hills, on which the village is built; it is
crowded with the peculiar Cyprinidae of these parts, {390a} some of which
attain three pounds in weight, as also a small loach. {390b}

The cultivation throughout this valley is good. The soil is however
heavy, but in places it gives way to a brown mould: rice is cultivated up
to Julraiz, but not beyond, millet (Setaria), Indian-corn, lucerne,
mustard, beet root; beans and peas are very common.

Great pains are taken with watercuts, which are led off into each ravine
that debouches into the valley, at elevations of sixty to eighty feet
above the river; opposite each, the river where led off is bunded across.
The watercuts or courses are in some places built up with stones. Apricot
trees continue, also mulberries near Julraiz, but they are not
productive.

Timber is cut in good quantities, and is floated down in the spring to
Cabul. We continue to meet flocks of sheep and camels with Patans,
Momums, and Ghilzees going to Cabul, thence to Julallabad; after selling
their produce at Cabul, they return in the summer to the same pasturages.

The oxen used to tread out corn are muzzled: grain is winnowed as in
Europe by throwing it up in the wind, the corn falls nearest the wind,
the coarse chaff next, then t