Dec, 1894.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBUKGH. 313 



For horses "Watt strongly recommends the importation 

 of the seeds into Britain, the proportions of albuminoids to 

 starch (21 : 59) being much better balanced than in our 

 ordinary horse feeds. He suggests that oats and grain, or 

 Indian corn and grain, would be found' to be much more 

 nutritious and strength-giving than the ordinary English 

 diet, " which contains an excessive amount of starch." 

 Without dwelling on this opinion, I think it may be safely 

 stated that any poisoning effects said to follow the use of 

 its seeds as a feed for horses are quite imaginary. I have 

 made a number of inquiries of gentlemen who have had a 

 large experience in India as veterinary surgeons, both mili- 

 tary men and civilians, and I find a unanimous testimony 

 to the value of Giccr arietinum as a horse food. 



There are two other plants to which the name "gram" is 

 sometimes applied, and which may thus be confused with 

 " gram " proper, viz. (6) Phascolus Mim/jo, or green gram, and 

 (c) Dolichos hijiorus, or horse gram. The former, with several 

 varieties, varying in habit of plant and colour and size of 

 seed, has a wide cultivation. Its seeds are eaten by rich 

 and poor alike, while the stalks and leaves are given to 

 cattle. Dolichos MJlorus, horse gram, found wild and cul- 

 tivated, described in Church, where its haulms are said to 

 be a good fodder, but the continued use of its seeds to 

 cause oedematous swellings. 



{d) Cajanus indicus, the pigeon pea or dal, a wholesome 

 and nutritious pulse. Duthie says the husks and broken 

 grain, after being soaked in water, are given to cattle to 

 keep them quiet when being milked. 



(c) Dolichos Lahlah. Its green pods are eaten as a vege- 

 table, and its seeds, too, are used. 



(/) Vigna Catjang, the catiang bean. Its green pods are 

 used, but the beans are inferior to those of Phascolus Mungo. 



(g) Phascolus aconitifolius, the moth bean. 



{h) Canavalia cnsiformis, the sword bean. 



{.)) Glycine Soja, the dry bean. Eich in albuminoids and 

 oil. After the oil has been squeezed out of them the rest 

 is compressed into a cake for cattle. Many other prepara- 

 tions are made from the beans, wliile the whole plant is 

 sometimes cut for fodder. 



{IS) Arachis hyjjogcca, the pea nut. With the oil squeezed 



