FOOD. 27 



year's left, it is what they try and sell. Being stacked 

 in the open, it is exceedingly likely to get damaged 

 by the rain. " Bhoosa " should have a clean, fresh 

 smell like sweet straw, not be discoloured or have 

 any patches of mould about it, and be free from im- 

 purities such as sticks, thorns, or pieces of mud or 

 stones. 



Bamboo Leaves (bans). 



In Eastern Bengal, Assam, and parts of Burma, 

 the green leaves and young shoots of the bamboo 

 are used for forage. During the Chin-Lushai Ex- 

 pedition in 1889-90, the animals with the force 

 got nothing else for nearly eight months. I 

 had three ponies of my own that w^ere worked 

 moderately hard the whole time, and they remained 

 in good condition. The transport mules, which were 

 worked very hard indeed in a very trying climate, 

 did not fall away nearly as much as I expected. 

 The young shoots and leaves are cut with a sort of 

 a billhook, called a " dah," and care must be taken 

 that only the young green leaves and soft tender 

 shoots are given, the old leaves and the edges of the 

 dry stumps of the bamboo cutting like a razor. I 

 have seen some bad wounds on the lips, tongue, and 

 angles of the mouth from this cause. It is best 



