Singapore, and Ceylon it is widely-diffused near gardens and planta 

 tions. In the former country it is " the best pasture grass," while at 

 Singapore, Ridley says it makes an excellent " turf grass." 



Panicum pabidare* Aitch. and Hemil (P. ciliare, D. C. ) is a variety 

 of P. Sanguinale, described by Aitchison as the best fodder grass for 

 cattle in the Kuram Valley of Afghanistan. 



Paspalum scrobicidatum,^ Linn., " Kodo " or " Koda" Millet, of 

 India. — An erect-growing annual grass, with stems about 2 feet high. 

 It is widely dispersed through the tropics of the Eastern Hemisphere, 

 generally regarded as a valuable pasture grass, and as an ingredient 

 for hay. It sometimes attains a height of 6 to 8 feet. The grain is 

 largely used as food by the natives of India, but it is by no means a 

 wholesome article of diet. Unless special precautions are taken, it is 

 liable to act as a narcotic poison. Cattle, and especially buffaloes, eat 

 the grass readily when it is young. The straw is occasionally used as 

 fodder. Animals are, however, carefully excluded from the fields 

 when the crop is ripening, as they appear to suffer even more than 

 men from the ill effects of Kodra poisoning. It is the " Ditch Millet '■' 

 of New South Wales, and the Herbe a epee of Mauritius. 



Stenotaphrum americanum, Kunth ("S. di7?iidiatum,% Tvin.J. — 

 "Pimento Grass" (Jamaica), "Buffalo Grass" (Australia). 



These are all the grasses enumerated in the article in the " Kew 

 Bulletin," from which I have copied ; and specimens of those that are 

 indigenous may be seen in the Colonial Herbarium. Several other 

 native species are noted by Baron F. v. Mueller as being good pasture 

 and fodder grasses, and I think it would be well for the Colony if 

 greater care were taken for their preservation. 



The following articles on the Utilisation of Bananas and Preserv- 

 ing Mangoes appeared in the Bulletin of the Agricultural Department 

 of Jamaica, and may perhaps be found useful by some of our coast 

 fruit-growers : — 



Utilisation of Bananas for Meal, Alcohol, &c. 



Stanley's work, " In Darkest Africa," called the attention of the 

 world to the dietetic value of Bananas, especiallv for invalids. Since 

 that date experiments have been made for the purpose of so preparing 

 Bananas that they might be made use of in all climates, not merely 

 as fruit, but in the form of meal to be cooked as gruel, puddings, &c. 



In Jamaica it is of great importance to discover some plan for the 

 utilisation of the fruit, which at present is wasted — the small bunches, 

 and those that are unfit for export for other reasons, such as bruising 

 or over ripeness. 



A Committee of the Board of Governors of the Jamaica Institute, 

 with the Director of Public Gardens as Chairman, investigated this 

 subject some time ago, but the conclusion arrived at then was that 

 the data in their possession were not such as to encourage any hopes, 

 of planters being able to manufacture the waste Bananas themselves 



* Not a native of Natal. 



f This grass was collected in the vicinity of Newcastle by Rev. J. 

 Buchanan. 



X Not a native of Natal. 



