278 Mr W. Coldstream on the 



vated grass lands. The breed of cattle is famous. The 

 region is very liable to scarcity and fodder famines, owing 

 to partial or entire failure of the rains. The mitigation 

 of distress at such times, by attention to fodder supply, is 

 one of the practical questions which are engaging the 

 attention of the Agricultural Department of the Govern- 

 ment of India. That this is an eminently practical ques- 

 tion is proved by the fact that, in the cold season of 

 1877-78, about 480,000 head of stock, including bullocks, 

 cows, buffaloes, camels, sheep, and goats, are estimated to 

 have died. The questions of stacking, ensilage, arbori- 

 culture, and the supply of arboreal fodder, have yet to be 

 studied. Stacks of sorghum and millet keep well ; but the 

 natives do not stack grass, though the officers of the Hissar 

 cattle farm do ; and it is found that the hay keeps well 

 for five or six years, or even longer. Nor do the natives 

 sow grass ; all the grass fodder which is consumed is what 

 grows wild in the uncultivated areas. Much might be 

 done to keep the cattle alive in times of scarcity by stack- 

 ing fodder in large quantities. The recent remark of Sir 

 Alfred Lyall, Lieut.-Governor of the North-West Pro- 

 vinces, holds good for this region, that " a large number 

 of cattle die every year because their owners take no 

 trouble to keep them alive." 



Some of the most interesting grasses of the region are 

 the following, the native names being given in paren- 

 thesis : — 



Cynodo/i Dactylon (Dub). — Makes into good turf for 

 lawns, and is much eaten by horses. The grass is stubbed, 

 up from the roots, and given to horses. 



A-ndropogo/i jjertusus (Palwa). — Especially relished by 

 buffaloes. 



Sporoholus ^er<ac?'.ssz*mMS (Kheo).— Particularly good for 

 horses. 



Heteropogon contortus (Sarwala). 



Po.nicv.m colonv.m (Sanwak). — Its grain is collected and 

 sold in the bazaars for making bread. 



Panicum helopus (Kuri). 



Elionurus hirsutus (Sin, or Sewan). 



Eleusine jioxjdUfioro. (Ghantil). 



