BOMBAY GRASSES. 121 



These collections have afforded me convincing proofs that there 

 is still ample field for research and exploration, and those students of 

 Botany, who may think of devoting their attention to the study of 

 grasses, will certainly reap a large harvest. The examination of 

 these contributions has also enabled me to form a general idea of the 

 grass vegetations of this Presidency, excepting Scinde,* especially 

 of fodder grosses, and to furnish a reply to a reference received by me 

 from the Director of the Land Record and Agriculture on the 

 subject. 



I am also much indebted to Mr. Duthie for valuable notes with 

 which he has favoured me regarding some specimens of grasses 

 which were submitted for his opinion in September last. Moreover 

 he generously offered to send doubtful cases to Prof. Hackel for his 

 identification. 



In the preparation of this list I am much indebted to Mr. Shuttle- 

 worth, Conservator of ' Forests, N. C, through whose kindness 

 I was able to obtain the abovementioned very useful collections 

 of grasses in the various districts under his charge. I am grateful 

 indeed for the ready assistance he kindly gave me, and for the trouble 

 he took in writing to all of his assistants and recommending them to 

 send me grasses. 



Not being acquainted with the Conservator of Forests, S. C, 

 I refrained from writing to that gentleman. I am sure he would have 

 likewise assisted me with contributions from the districts under his 

 charge. 



I have to convey my special thanks to Mr. J. M. Campbell, C.S., 

 Collector of Panch Mahals, who, on learning from me that I had taken 

 up the subject of the study of grasses, encouraged me to carry it out 

 on a more extensive plan than I had intended, and wrote to Mr. 

 Shuttleworth to obtain for me through his assistants materials from his 

 Circle. He evinced so much interest in my endeavours that in spite 

 of his being very busy with his own arduous duties, he carried on for a 

 short time a correspondence beween himself and Mr. Shuttleworth on 

 one side and myself on the other. He even assisted me in obtaining 

 from different officials of Khandesh, Rosha- grass and its oil, about the 

 quality of which I had some doubts. Mr. Campbell has done this 



* I have seen a tew i'rom tkia place. 

 16 



