1839] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. 887 



length and severity, do not spring up in autumn, but in spring, and 

 ripen in autumn. In warm countries which have no summer rains, 

 the spring grass having once withered, does not recover during the re- 

 mainder of the year. 



1 18. In the Punjab and Sindh the seasons of grass are the same as 

 in our provinces, and the species are much the same. In the upper 

 Punjab there is perhaps more grass fit for provender than in our upper 

 provinces, but the large kinds used for thatching are scarcer, this how- 

 ever is of little consequence, the inhabitants prefering flat-roofed houses 

 covered with mud, to the thatch so common elsewhere. Hurriana 

 and Bhutner are well known to have abundance of good grass ; and 

 the country in general which lies between the Sutluj and the Jumna 

 is more verdant than that on this side of the latter river. The Dooab. 

 of the Hydaspes and Indus present the usual varieties. Pothwar 

 has but little grass, except in the bottoms of the ravines. The hilly 

 country of the Gukhurs, and others already mentioned to the north, 

 appear to have much grass, but this does not arise from the great growth 

 but from the small consumption. In the Thul of Mohummud Khan, as 

 in the great desert, we find more shrubs than grass. Mooltan, 

 and upper and middle Sindh, have little grass. The spring of Pesh- 

 awar is naturally later than in our provinces, and the rains which 

 then fall have an additional tendency to protract the time of fresh 

 grass. The lateness of the summer rains, and their comparative unim- 

 portance, makes the Khureef grass later in commencement, and causes 

 it to be little superior to that of the spring grass in this country; it is 

 even said that in Jellalabad the spring grass is of more importance than 

 the Khureef. In Seeweestan though the summer rains are scanty, the 

 Khureef grass is superior to the other kinds ; but herbage is not abundant 

 in that province. Peshawar, though its summer rains are deficient, 

 has yet as much grass on an average of all months as our provinces, 

 for showers fall at different times of the year, and the soil is good. 

 The name of Shurhsubz which Tymoor gave it, we may suppose allu- 

 ded rather to its constant succession of green crops, than the exube- 

 rance of its natural vegetation in grass, which is not extraordinary. 

 The least quantity of grass is in the middle of winter and the middle of 

 summer. 



119. The seasons of grass in Chhuchh, Huzar, Kohat, Malgeen, 

 Eesakhel, and Bunnoo, are nearly the same as in Peshawar, and the 

 quantity not very different. Mukulwud has but little grass, but some 

 parts of the Daman have a great quantity. The hills called Bedaulut, 

 owe their name to the scantiness of their herbage. The hills of Bajour, 



