Dr. H. F. C. Cleghorn on the Hedge Plmits of India. 241 



excellent cordage. The lower decayed leaves are used as fuel in 

 the absence of wood^ and the terminal spines sometimes serve 

 instead of pins and nails. The Agave juice is not collected in 

 India, vinous beverages being formed from the date and cocoa- 

 nut palms, which flourish in the same localities. These latter 

 treeSj with the Agave, Opuntia, and Bamboo, give a character to 

 the landscapes in Southern India. This species is propagated 

 by suckers, and young plants are in great request. There are 

 hedges of this plant in Spain, Portugal, Sicily, Calabria, AVest 

 Indies, South America, Mauritius, Cape Town. Native gardens 

 are often surrounded by mud walls, armed with Agave leaves, 

 the spines being made to project at both sides. 



Euphorbia Tirucaili, L. 



Ossifraga lactea, Rumph. Herb. Amb. vii. t. 29. 



Milk Bush. 



Lunka-sij, Beng. Tiru-kalli, Tam. Doodu-kalli, Can. 



Probably introduced from Africa. 



This, with E. antiquorum, is common all over the Madras 

 Presidency, growing abundantly anywhere on the rough and 

 rocky parts of the Deccan, though doubtfully indigenous. It is 

 much used as a hedge-plant, and though unarmed makes an 

 excellent fence. It grows to 20 feet high ; but should be an- 

 nually clipped, as it becomes open at the roots. It is customary 

 to plant E. antiquorum, L. (Nar-sij) in these openings, which 

 grows well under the shade of its congener. Both united con- 

 stitute a most serviceable enclosure, which has the advantage of 

 occupying little space and being touched by no animal : the tena- 

 cious acrid juice quickly causes sneezing or produces ophthalmia. 



At the beginning of the rainy season a trench is dug to the 

 depth of two feet where the fence is intended to grow. The 

 cuttings take root in any soil; and in one year it becomes a 

 tolerable fence (Buchanan's Journey, i. 36). The villagers are 

 prejudiced against this as a fence, and cut it down in seasons of 

 pestilence, supposing that it exerts a baneful influence. The 

 juice is often employed instead of a wafer for closing despatches, 

 and is a very effectual blister in rheumatic affections. Cattle 

 will not break through, nor vermin live under it. The trunk 

 of old trees affords a yellow close-grained wood, 8 or 10 inches 

 in diameter, which is valued for gun-stocks, &c. 



These four plants thrive in the most arid soil : when the ground 

 seems much parched they retain their greenness, and improve 

 the scenery, giving an appearance of verdure when all else is 

 withered and lifeless. 



