BOMBAY GRASSES. 119 



excellent library there is the splendid herbarium, in which grasses 

 from all parts of India are largely represented." 



In Europe investigators receive assistance from many learned 

 men, but here in India very few scientists have leisure enough 

 to devote themselves to the study of grasses, and those who may 

 have formed these the subject of their study, are prevented from giving 

 to others the benefit of their knowledge by their being frequently 

 absent, or moving from place to place in the districts. In Poona, 

 Mr. Woodrow, Professor of Agriculture and Botany in the College of 

 Science, and one of the ablest botanists of the Presidency, has for the 

 last four or five years endeavoured to secure a good collection of 

 plants ; but his collection of grasses is comparatively very small, some 

 of which were examined by the late General Munro. Mr. "Woodrow 

 has not been able to identify the remaining from want of leisure. 

 Now that Government have sanctioned an annual grant of Rs. 5,000 

 for the formation of an herbarium, I trust that Mr. Woodrow will 

 employ skilful collectors to complete the Poona College of Science 

 herbarium. Dr. T. Cooke, the Principal of the College of Science, 

 who takes much interest in the welfare and progress of the Establish- 

 ment, will, no doubt, give his valuable support, as he always does. 



I refer to these difficulties, not with the view to enhance 

 the value of my labours, but because the very mention 

 of them will, I am sure, incite ardent lovers of nature to enter 

 upon the field of investigation better armed and duly pre- 

 pared. I may state here that those who wish to make new 

 discoveries will find many opportunities, as the field is not yet 

 exhausted, for, whilst this list was being drawn up, I received 

 new grasses, which had not come under my observation before, and 

 from those very places from which specimens were formerly sent to 

 me. It happens very often that peons or other persons sent to col- 

 lect grasses, not being themselves trained, gather large or beautiful 

 and elegant grasses, not heeding the smaller ones, which probably 

 grow under their feet or alongside the bigger specimens. 



I am indebted to Mr. Wroughton, of the Forest Department, Poona 

 Division, who, not being satisfied with sending me a good collection 

 of grasses made by his assistants, himself succeeded in supplying 

 me with many, some of which are amongst the rarest. When out in 



