422 ILLUSTRATION OF THE BOTANY OF | Graminee. 
tribes different from those of Europe, as to Panicum, Eragrostis, Saccharum, Rott- 
-boellia, &c. Besides the above-mentioned, cattle are also fond of such grasses as 
Panicum colonum, setigerum, repens, hirsutum, and miliare ; Digitaria ciliaris, Rottboelia 
glabra, and Andropogon Martini,* a native of the high lands of Ballaghaut, whence the 
seeds were brought by the late General Martin, and taken to Lucnow, as well as trans- 
mitted to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta. He was induced to take particular notice 
of this long grass, in consequence of observing how voraciously fond the cattle were of 
it, notwithstanding its having so strong an aromatic and pungent taste, that, not only 
the flesh of the animals, but also the milk and butter, have a very strong scent of it. 
Dr. Malcolmson, to whom I am indebted for specimens of this grass, which he obtained 
in the Deccan, where it is universally spread over the trap districts, though seldom seen 
on the ordinary granite of that tract, informs me, that he has by it traced green-stone 
dikes for great distances across granite soils—the luxuriant growth, of A. Martini, 
contrasting remarkably with the thin and low A. polystachyus, of the granite. He also 
informs me, that the Patans and succeeding Mahomedan Governments valued the 
pasture of some of the sand-stone hills south of the Kistnah river, where the lemon: 
grass, (an Andropogon Nardoides?), is found, so highly as to reserve it for their own 
cavalry, or the right to cut and sell it, was rented as a monopoly to the highest 
bidders ; but this was abolished about twenty-five years ago. The pasture of the Nalla 
Malla Hills, in sight of these, is considered bad, though more luxuriant, growing on 
a calcareous rock passing intoa clay slate. Dr. Malcolmson, with these grasses, also 
collected specimens of the Nuth, or Nuthoo, grass, of Bellary, and the Ceded Districts, 
of which an account has been given by Dr.Wight in the Madras Lit. and Scientific 
Journal; it is remarkable for the great difficulty of eradicating it when once it has taken 
possession of the soil. Dr.W. has named this grass Ischemum pilosum, but if so widely 
diffused it can hardly have escaped the notice of all previous botanists ; especially as 
every government that has ruled in these districts has, from time immemorial, been 
paying large sums for its eradication. It is chiefly found in the “ black cotton ground,” 
and differs from nearly all the other herbaceous plants found there, by its widely- 
spreading, perennial roots, or underground stems, all the others having either fibrous 
annual roots, or very long tapering perennial ones, with the stem, even when procum- 
bent, generally annual, and altogether above ground. In its creeping habit it resem~ 
bles Triticum repens, in Europe, and some other plants found in sandy soils, which 
form a valuable provision for binding the loose materials among which they grow. 
Though rewards have been given and revenue remitted, Dr.Wight is of opinion, that — 
the prevalence of this grass is far from being an unmixed evil, as cattle eat it, and 
large quantities are daily exposed for sale at Bellary, as food fr them; and if it could 
be raised on less valuable soil, it would probably be thought a useful enough plant: 
he further says that the necessity of granting remission may be doubted, as it may almost 
be 
* This plant appears to me, from the specimens, to be only a variety of Andropogon Nardoides, v. infra. 
