11 



pears of the district.* The commonest is the 

 Punjab Opuntia, which has been used for cover- 

 ing some hillocks (formerly n&tive brick kilns) 

 in the gardens. This species has been allowed 

 to run wild on this particular spot, and in com- 

 pany with it are both 0. nigricans and 0. dillenii. 

 The latter is used occasionally in the city for 

 hedges, and in places may be seen occupying waste 

 land in and near the town and cantonment. 0. 

 monacantha occurs rather rarely at Lahore. 

 Growing under cultivation in the Lahore Gardens 

 were both spiny and spineless varieties of 0. 

 ficus indica, which were being propagated for 

 fruit and fodder purposes, but they had not yet 

 arrived at a stage at which feeding experiments 

 might be carried out. Certain varieties of the 

 same species were also being propagated in Sirid 

 with a view to utilisation ultimately as a fodder 

 plant. Mr. Parker pointed out an interesting 

 hedge composed of Nopalea cochinelifera, 0. 

 monacantha and 0. dillenii, surrounding a 

 private house. 



Mr. Parker (p. 1096) was able to corro- 

 borate Mr. Burkill's statements as to the activity 

 of the Wild Cochineal Insects in the Kangra 

 Valley. He pointed out that although 0. 

 monacantha was attacked, the Punjab Opuntia 

 growing by its side was not. 



As both of these investigators suggested that 

 an inspection should be made of this Sub-Hima- 

 layan region, a visit was paid to the Kangra 

 Valley. A small amount of 0. monacantha was 

 recognised at Pathankote, while at Nurpur, in 

 a spot indicated by Mr. Parker, there was found 

 a composite hedge consisting of 0. monacantha, 

 the Punjab Opuntia, 0. dillenii, and 0. decumana. 

 All of these, except the first, were growing quite 

 well, though the altitude is about 3,000 feet. 0. 

 monacantha was found to be attacked by the Wild 

 Cochineal Insect with the same disastrous results 

 as had already been found to be the case in 

 Ceylon. None of the other Opuntias, even though 

 growing beside infected plants, was found to be 

 attacked. 0. monacantha occurred sparingly in 

 the district, but was seen to be much more common 

 at Sharpur, a district higher up the valley. At 

 the latter place the cochineal insect was not de- 

 tected. 



Bajputana. — After returning to Delhi, a 

 short visit was made to Jaipur, where Mr. Parker 

 had recorded that 0. nigricans was particularly 

 abundant. This species was seen to be very 

 common at GariharsUra, Jataoli, and Rewari. At 

 Jaipur it was found to be used very extensively 

 for hedges along the streets and around fields, 

 and in many places occupied waste lands, this 

 being especially the ease at Amber, a few miles 

 away. At the latter place, this cactus "has been 

 allowed to spread in such a way that it covers 

 practically the whole district, including the ad- 

 jacent hillsides. The Opuntias were particularly 

 vigorous in this locality, the only sick plants 

 noticed being so situated that they were unable to 

 prosper under the hot, dry climatic conditions on 

 account of lack of moisture. 0. monacantha was 

 also found sparingly at Jaipur and at Amber 

 generally as a hedge plant. 



Jaipur to Bombay.— The journey to Bombay, 

 from which port the Commission had decided to 



* Chitta thor is the general Punjabi name for Opun- 

 tias, Nagphan or Nagphani or Phenimoonsha being the 

 common Hindustani names. 



leave India for South Africa, was made via Agra 

 and Central India. At Agra, Opuntias were quite 

 rare, the only species noticed being 0. mona- 

 canlha, which was used in a few places as a hedge 

 plant. 0. nigricans was seen at Jhansi, but no 

 cadi were detected between that place and Agra. 

 It was noticed that this latter species was very 

 common at Manmad, Lasalgaon, Nihad, Kher- 

 vadi, Nasik, Devlali, &c., becoming rather less 

 common, though still frequently seen, as Bombay 

 was approached. 0. nigricans was recognised on 

 waste lands of the suburbs of that city. 



B. Pbickly-pear in Southern India. 



The investigations in Southern India were 

 carried out in the Presidencies of Madras and 

 Bombay, as well as in the States of Mysore and 

 Hyderabad (Deccan), ready assistance being 

 afforded by administrative, agricultural, and 

 forestry officers belonging to the Government of 

 India, as well as to that of the Presidency of 

 Mysore. 



Madras Presidency. — For forty years and 

 upwards it had been a matter of complaint 

 that Prickly-pear {Opuntia dillenii, Haw.) 

 already covered one-eighth of an importajit 

 district, situated at the southern extremity 

 of the Peninsula — in fact, it was this occur- 

 rence that led to a recommendation being 

 made at this time by the Madras Government that 

 compensation should be accordingly granted for 

 lands taken up by the Tuticorin Extension of the 

 Great Southern India Eailway. Moreover, the 

 " disastrous spread of Prickly-pear" in the 

 Trichinopoly and other areas was then matter 

 for complaint also.* 



In 1892 the extent of occurrence of Opuntia 

 in the Madras Province was specially reviewed 

 by the Government with a view to devising 

 measures for coping with its presence and 

 spreading. In the document dealing with this 

 work it is stated that— " Prickly-pear is 

 reported to have become a formidable evil 

 throughout the whole or in parts of the following 

 districts :—Kistna, Nellore, Anantapur, Bellary, 

 North Arcot, Salem, Trichinopoly, and 

 Madura, "t 



In 1913 0. dillenii still existed in the parts 

 of India referred to. One may, in fact, traverse 

 hundreds of miles from Tuticorin northwards 

 and from Trichinopoly westwards, especially 

 along the Valley of the Caveri, and have this 

 prickly-pear almost continually in view, but 

 not, as a rule, encroaching to any extent on the 

 good agricultural land, the watchfulness of the 

 ryot (agriculturist) guarding against such 

 extension. Of the more northern parts of the 

 Madras Presidency the same is also true. 

 Again, in several districts, its habit of blocking 

 up public roads is proving objectionable, _ and, 

 moreover, the obstacle that its presence constitutes 

 to the sale of " waste lands" is remarked— in 

 fact, it was commonly stated that Prickly-pear 

 was, in Southern India, becoming yearly more 

 pronounced its spread reducing the area of land 

 available for grazing purposes; whilst at the 

 same time it was proving locally harmful to 

 forestry enterprises. 



* Pennington, J. B., Actg. Collector, 3rd June, 1872. 

 t Vid. Proceedings Board of Revenue, Madras, No 

 697, 7th Pec, 1892. 



