226 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



BOMBAY GRASSES. 



By Dr. J. C. Lisboa, F.L.S 

 Part II, 

 (Continued from Vol. V. x p, 131.) 

 (Rmd at the Society's Meeting a» 23rd September 1890.) 



P. jumentoruvdj Pers. \ l\ maximum, Jacq. t. 13 ; P. altissimum, 

 D. C.; Dalz. and Gibs. £qm£. P/. Suppl. 98. 



This is the well-known 'Guinea-grass." Though grown to a 

 large extent in the West Indies, it does not, according to the authors 

 of the " Bombay Flora," " fare well in India on account of the dry 

 climate, unless grown in shady places and well irrigated." This 

 was written in 1861. Since then, carefiilly-conducted experiments 

 have been made in various parts of India as well as in Ceylon. I 

 take the following frOm a letter written to me some time ago by 

 Mr. Woadrow, Professor of Agriculture and Botany in the Poona 

 College of Science. He says: " Panicum jumentorum is cultivated by 

 " so-called advanced cultivators throughout India. I have generally 

 " about two acres of it. At Madras I have seen ten acres, and am told 

 Cl that near Ahmcdabad there are about 100 acres. On a sandy 

 " soil with irrigation it is found to be a profitable crop for forage to 

 !! be cut green." 



The fallowing statement was furnished me by the Director of Land 

 Records and Agriculture*: — 



" It has been, grown on the Hyderabad Farm (Sind) since 1886.-87, 

 " and has now almost passed the experimental stage. At present 

 " its cultivation is not very remunerative, but as time goes on, and 

 " the popular prejudice against its use wears out, it is hoped that it 

 "will, like lucerne, be one of the principal paying crops in the 



' Farm. 



" It is. a perennial grass, and, when first planted, it frequently 



" attains a height of 9 feet and sometimes own of 10 feet and above ; 

 " but when cut two or three times it does not grow so high but 



* My b» . h i iks are dne to t li. Acting Director of Agriculture, Mr- Bhimbhai 

 Kh'paiam, ,i i !i eady assistance and valuabh information which has been promptly 



plrtced at my disposal by this active ami intelligent Government officer. 



