Leguminose@.] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 187 
Surat and Bombay, those of the Peninsula, as well as by Calcutta. A considerable 
portion is, however, re-exported to Europe, together with some probably cultivated in 
the country. 
Dr. Ainslie informs us (Mat. Ind. 1. p.391. 1826) “ that Mr. G. Hughes, of Palam- 
cottah, a few years ago succeeded perfectly in cultivating the true senna of Arabia, in 
the southern part of the Indian Peninsula.” This has now become a regular Indian 
export, and is well known in the London market, where it brings a high price, under the 
name of Hughes’ Tinnevelly senna. Dr. Thomson, in his Elem. of Mat. Med. 2. p. 307, 
States, that ‘‘ though not adopted into general use in Great Britain, it is milder in its 
operation than the Alexandrian drug; is as certain a purgative, and operates without 
griping.” Dr. Christison, however, informs me, that the principal chemist in Edinburgh 
purchases this in much larger quantities than any other kind of senna. It is no doubt 
the produce of C. lanceolata, though the leaves, from the more tropical climate, may 
become larger and more elongated, and have therefore given rise to the species, 
C. elongata, of Lemaire Lisancour (v. Fée) formed of the Séné de I’ Inde. 
Having had my attention turned to the Materia Medica of India at the request of the 
Medical Board of Bengal, I procured some senna from the Saharunpore Bazar, there 
called suna mukkee, which I fourid consisted entirely of lance-shaped leaves. The 
seeds picked out of this senna were sown in the garden, and a very exact representation 
of one of the plants procured, is given in plate 37. This agrees, as might be expected, 
with Forskal’s description of his Cassia lanceolata; as it is probable that the suna | 
mukkee originally found its way into Northern India by means of the extensive commerce 
which takes place between Surat and Delhi. But from its cheapness I was led to 
believe that it must be cultivated in the country, and on inquiry was informed that it 
was so, somewhere in the Agra and Muttra district; but I was never able to prove the 
fact. This senna corresponds in every essential particular with that cultivated at Tinne- 
velly, but the leaves, as might be expected from the more northern latitude of Saharun- 
pore, are smaller; in this respect they agree with some plants procured from seed sent 
to the Saharunpore Garden by the Hon. Sir Charles Metcalfe ; but with the place of 
growth of which I am unacquainted, though probably Arabia or the Indian Peninsula. 
The ripened seeds of the first crop were sown in the following year, and a large 
quantity of leaves being obtained, were dried and prescribed in the Saharunpore Hos- 
pital with very satisfactory results. A sample having been sent to the Medical Board, 
were submitted to experiment by Mr, Twining in the General Hospital at Calcutta. 
After prescribing it in forty-five cases, both in powder and infusion, Mr. T. says, ‘* From 
these trials, I am disposed to consider the senna now under trial, equal to the best I 
have ever seen,” (v. Trans. Med. and Physic. Soc. v. p. 483); and the Medical Board, 
in communicating the result, desired to assure me that it was as gratifying to them as 
it must be to me. 
These facts are adduced to show that the vain as the southern, and therefore all 
the vast intermediate space of India, is equally fitted for the growth of the best — 
ee at 
