IV P R E F A C £ 



foreign grasses and fodder plants into this country, but so 

 far no one has succeeded in establishing any one of them on 

 any large scale. Usually a great amount of labour and much 

 money is spent in these attempts. If the same amount of 

 attention is bestowed on indigenous grasses, better results 

 can be obtained with less labour and money. There are 

 many indigenous grasses that will yield plenty of stuff, if 

 they are given a chance to grow. The present deterioration 

 of grasses is mainly due to overgrazing and trampling by 

 men and cattle. 



To prove the beneficial effects which result from prevent- 

 ing overgrazing and trampling, Mr. G. R. Hilson, Deputy- 

 Director of Agriculture (now Cotton Expert), selected some 

 portion of the waste land in the neighbourhood of the Farm 

 at Hagari and closed it for men and cattle. As a result of 

 this measure, in two years, a number of grasses and other 

 plants were found growing on the enclosed area very well, 

 and all of them seeded well. Of course the unenclosed areas 

 were bare as usual. 



In the preparation of this book I received considerable 

 help from M.R.Ry. C. Tadulinga Mudaliyar Avargal, f.l.s., 

 Assistant Lecturing and Systematic Botanist, in the descrip- 

 tion of species and I am indebted to M.R.Ry. P. S. Jivanna 

 Rao, m.a., Teaching Assistant, for assistance in proof-reading. 



I have to express my deep obligation to Mr. G. A. D. 

 Stuart, I.C.S., Director of Agriculture, for encouragement to 

 undertake this work and to the Madras Government for 

 ordering its publication. 



For the excellence in the get up of the book I am 

 indebted to Mr. F. L. Gilbert, Superintendent. Government 

 Press. 



Agricultural College, 

 Lawley Road, Coimbatore, K. RANGACHARI. 



2nd June i 92 i . 



