1859 ] Account of Perqunnali MaJioha, Zillali Humeerpore. 379 



Grass and Hay. 



The absence of any large Military station from the neighbour- 

 hood, and the large tracts of uncultivated land and hills about, ob- 

 viate the necessity of setting aside any fields especially for hay. 

 The inhabitants of every village are allowed by the zemindars to 

 cut the grass they want, but " rakhels" in the strict sense of the 

 word, are not met with. The village of Futtehpore is perhaps an 

 exception ; the land not being good and adjoining Mahoba Proper, 

 the owners find their advantage in selling the hay, but this is the 

 only instance where any profit seems derived from this source. 



The " Kaus" grass (Saccharum spontaneum) prevails here as else- 

 where in Bundelcund, and in some villages, especially those on the 

 borders of Banda, is a grievous enemy to the husbandman. It rears 

 its wiry head in the midst of the rising crops, and when once estab- 

 lished, is nearly impossible to eradicate. Indeed Mr. Edgeworth 

 (learned in all plants and their habits) declares that the very at- 

 tempt to remove it by disturbing the earth round its roots only gives 

 them new strength. 



The presence of this weed is a certain sign of good land, as it 

 only flourishes in the best black soil. There is one village Bela, 

 which, possessing as fine land as any in Mahoba, has of late years 

 been quite overrun by Kaus, and does not return one-fourth of its 

 former produce. Mr. Oust of Banda has proposed treating any vil- 

 lage where it appears as a case of alluvion and diluvion, and in the 

 justice of his scheme, I fully concur. 



Forest Trees. 



Jungle must formerly have abounded throughout the Pergunnah, 

 in many of the border villages much even now remains : generally 

 a low brushwood, of which the wild " corinda" and " khyr" tree 

 are the most common elements. The " Chool" bush is also very 

 prevalent, and is a valuable addition, being useful in all its parts. 

 The leaves are used for dishes, at weddings, feasts, &c. by all 

 castes ; the fibres of the roots form a rope which does not swell or 

 spoil in the rains, water improving and strengthening rather than 

 injuring it, and from its charcoal the best native gunpowder is pre- 

 pared. 



Groves are very plentiful and invariably of the mohwa tree 



