( 40 ) 



It were most advisable that Government should, as a measure 

 of Sanitary Police, take for its eradication more energetic and 

 continuous steps than those hitherto adopted. The health of the 

 people ought to form a reason quite sufficient for the adoption of 

 compulsory measures with respect to it. In the Grass Preserves 

 of the Beema and Moota-Moola (whither it has been carried from 

 the Poona City and Cantonment), many hundreds of rupees have 

 been spent on rooting it out, as it smothers and destroys the crop 

 of grass. The native tradition is that a few seeds of the plant were 

 brought by a Sirdar (Dubharhe) in his palankin from Delhi, and 

 verily his gift has been as noxious to the Deccan as was that 

 of the poisonous Shirt to Hercules. It is hardly found in Gujarat ; 

 there we have only noticed it in Sidhpore, between Ahmedabad 

 and Deesa. There is a variety, with numerous spines, often grown 

 in gardens. 



5. O TooNAH, Mill. Diet. No. .3; Kunth. nov. Gen. America 

 6, p 69 ; Don's syat. 3, p 173. — This is a species on which, according 

 to Humboldt and Bonpland, the Cochineal " Grana Fina" is fed ; 

 others say that the false Cochineal insect only feed on trees. We 

 have had numerous experiments regarding the introduction of this 

 product. In the new-production-fever years, ranging from 1833 

 to 1845, sundry attempts were made by the late M. Sundt and 

 others, but after considerable expense incurred, and a heavy 

 amount of correspondence, as usual in such cases, the whole ended 

 in smoke. 



6. O RuBEscENS Rosea (?), DC. Diss. t. 15. — This unarmed 

 species is often seen in gardens at Bombay, Mahim, &c. ; flowers 

 flesh-coloured. 



PERESKIA, Plum., Icosandria Monogynia. Named by Plu- 

 mier after Peiresk, of Aix, in Provence. 



7. P AcuLEATA, Cactus Pereskii, Spr. syst.2, p 498; Pluk. t. 

 215,/. 6; Dill. Hort. t. 227, /. 294.— A scandent shrub with 

 smooth elliptic leaves, and long thorns in their axils ; flowers white ; 

 appears in the rains. 



8. P Grandifloea. — Native of Mexico. A very distinct species, 

 having long, broad, lanceolate leaves, and showy roseate flowers. 

 In gardens ; not common. The long roseate flowers, contrasted 

 with the deep green of the stems and leaves, render it a choice 

 plant for the Green-house. 



XLIV.— SAXIFRAGACE^, DC. Prod. 4, p 4. 



HYDRANGEA, Linn., Decandrla Trigynia. 

 1 . H HoETENSiA, Don's syst. 3, 233 ; Bot. Mag. t. 438.— 

 Chinese Guelder Rose; a shrubby plant, with flowers of various 



