230 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



" whom it was introduced to Ceylon I find no record, though it is 

 " probable there may be one in the Royal Gardens at Peradeniya. 

 " It was grown in Ceylon in Moon's time, 1824, at any rate. The 

 " late Dr. Gardner introduced what he supposed to be a new fodder 

 " grass to Ceylon, but in 1843 or 1844, he gave a full description of 

 " it in the Ceylon Observer, proving that it was identical with Guinea 

 " grass. It was introduced to Jamaica about 1744 from the Coast 

 " of Guinea. The following is an extract from Lunan's Hortus 

 " Jarnaicensis : — ■ 



" 'This most valuable grass is a native of Africa, and was iritro- 

 " duced into the island many years ago by the merest accident. Mr. 

 " John Ellis got some birds front the Coast of Guinea, and with 

 " them some seeds for their support ; the birds dying soon after, the 

 " seeds were thrown out of doors as Useless. From these seeds grew 

 " some luxuriant grass, which attracted Mr. Ellis's notice, and he 

 " had a horse and a cow brought whei'e it was, when both of them 

 " greedily eat of it. It Was then transplanted into a garden and 

 " gradually cultivated, until it has beconle one of the niost lucrative 

 " and useful plants in Jamaica. It agrees with almost every soil and 

 " situation, and has rendered many rocky and otherwise barren spots 

 " of Jamaica very valuable as affording support to herds of cattle and 

 " horses. The growth of this grass is quick, for in Wet weather, 

 " and in a favourable situation, it may be cut once in a fortnight, 

 " It resists dry Weather for a considerable time, and even when 

 " parched up, the slightest shower will revive it. It rises from five 

 " to eight feet high. When of proper strength it is a very excellent 

 " food for horses and cattle, which, when considerably lean and 

 " reduced, will be restored to flesh and fatness in two or three 

 " months by feeding upon it. ' 



"There can be no doubt that the Guinea grass, and what is most 

 " erroneously called in Ceylon l/tauritius grass, are the two most 

 " valuable fodder plants growing in Ceylon. I have seen the Guinea 

 " grass grow in what seems to be the pure white sand of the Cinna- 

 " mon Gardens near Colombo to a height of 6 to 8 feet, and if well 

 " manured and kept free of weeds, it will, in rainy weather, give a 

 " very fair crop monthly. It grows freely up to an elevation of 

 "5,000 to 6,000 feet on the Coffee Estates, but though a valuable 



