Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/69

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JIUZAFFARGARH. 57 Rivers, though it continues to be called the Chenáb. After its junction with the Indus, just beyond the southern borders of the District at Mithánkot in Dera Ghází Khán, the combined waters become for a short distance the Sátnad or Seven Rivers, composed of the five rivers of the Punjab, plus the Indus and Kábul rivers. The Chenab is narrower and less rapid than the Indus, with a depth of water varying from 15 feet in winter to 30 feet in summer. The stream shifts very much, and navigation is difficult, but not so dangerous as on the Indus. Both the Indus and Chenab carry silt in suspension in their waters, and during the floods deposit it on the adjacent lands, which it greatly fertilizes. Occasionally, however, destructive inundations occur, which do great harm. Besides the normalannual overflow of the rivers, which supply natural irrigation to about 150,000 acres, a series of Government inundation canals, taking off from side channels or branches of the Indus and Chenáb, affords irrigation to over 200,000 acres. These canals were nearly all excavated by native rulers, and most of them date from the early years of the present century. Eighteen forest tracts, with a total area of 97,150 acres, are under the management of the Forest Department, but are unreserved. Although with an inappreciable rainfall, Muzaffargarh District is full of vegetation of great variety. The date palm, khajji or khejur (Phenix sylvestris), is largely cultivated, and the fruit forms a staple food of the population during part of the year. The trees pay a tax to Government, which yields a considerable revenue. The timber and other trees common in the District include the following:--Tahli or shisham (Dalbergia Sissoo), which grow with great luxuriance; two fine avenues of these trees lead from Muzaffargarh, one, 5 miles long, to Sher Shah ferry, and the other, 11 miles long, to Khángarh. Kikar (Acacia arabica); sharinh or siris (Albizzia Lebbek); jand or kanda (Prosopis spicigera), the commonest tree in the District; ukánh (Tamarix articulata); pilchhi or jhau (Tamarix dioica); jal (Salvadora oleoides); jhit (Salvadora persica); and karinh or karita (Populus euphratica). Other trees common in Muzaffargarh are-Pipal (Ficus religiosa); bor (Ficus bengalensis); girdnáli or amaltas (Cassia fistula); lasura (Cordia myxa); rohira (Tecona undulata); gondi (Cordia rothii); jamun (Eugenia jambolana); dhák or chichhra (Butea frondosa); and sohinjna (Moringa pterygosperma). The garden trees include mangoes, pomegranates, apples, oranges, limes, and figs. There are no metals found in Muzaffargarh, and the mineral products are unimportant. Kankar or nodular limestone occasionally occurs, but in such small quantities as not to be worth collecting. Earth salt used to be largely manufactured under the native Governments, but this is now prohibited. The majority of the descendants of the old nunaris