344 TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. Elcusbie. 



Telinga fanners called maddee rooba soloo ; it grows to a still 

 larger size, with a greater number of straight spikes. 



They all require a light rich soil, on which the water does 

 not remain after heavy rains. The first or early sort does not 

 require so rich a soil as the other two, it is sown earlier by 

 which means the same ground yields two crops. From July 

 to January inclusive they reckon on an increase of about one 

 hundred and twenty fold if the soil and season are favoura- 

 ble. 



The second sort requires a richer soil ; it is sown later in 

 the season ; its increase is greater. 



The third sort, maddi ruba soloo, requires a still richer soil ; 

 land fit for it is scarce, and the rent high. I am informed 

 that it is nearly twice as much as that of land fit for the first 

 sort, the increase of this kind is prodigious, five hundred fold, 

 the farmers say, if the season and soil are favourable. 



About twenty years ago, there came up accidentally 

 amongst some rubbish in my garden at Samulcotah,two tufts 

 of this plant, each, upon examination, I found to be the pro- 

 duce of one seed, each had twenty-five culms, and each of 

 these culms had on an average two lateral branches, making- 

 in all seventy-five culms and branches, each produced up- 

 on an average six spikes, (for they had from four to eight) 

 in all four hundred and fifty spikes, each of these had at a 

 medium sixty spikelets, and each spikelet ripened on an 

 average three or four seeds, total produce eighty-one thou- 

 sand. I was myself particularly attentive in counting the 

 above produce because it was so astonishingly great. 



In the Rajamundry Circar, where these observations were 

 made, the soil is in general rich, and the season favourable. 



3. E. (egyptica. R. 



Cvlms with a creeping base, from one to two feet high. 

 Spikes four-fold, cruciate. Calyces daggered, from three to 

 four-flowered. Seed oval, somewhat three-sided, and trans- 

 versely rugose. 



