LAWSOXIA ALBA. 



LAWSONIA ALBA, Lamh. 



Henna, or Egyptian privet; mendhi (Hind.) 



Natural order Lythracece. A smooth erect shrub occasionally armed with spines. Leaves 

 opposite, entire, lanceolate. Flowers small, white or rose-coloured, in terminal panicled cymes 

 sweet-scented. 



DeCandolle was of opinion that the henna plant originated, in Persia, and that its 

 cultivation and use spread from that country into Africa on the west, and eastwards 

 to India. 



Mendhi is abundant all over these Provinces as a hedge plant, but there are no 

 statistics to show to what extent it is grown for the sake of its dye. In the Agra 

 Gazetteer, p. 448, sixteen acres are mentioned as being occupied by this plant. 



In parts of the Punjab mendhi is grown as a crop. The following is an account 

 by Major (now Sir William) Davies of its cultivation in Shahpur : — The soil is prepared 

 by repeated ploughings, not less than sixteen, and heavy manuring. Before sowing, 

 the seed is allowed to soak in water for 25 days. It is then spread on cloth and 

 allowed to dry partially. The plot of land in which it is proposed to grow the mendhi 

 is then formed into small beds, and some days before sowing these are kept flooded. 

 The seed is scattered on the surface of the water, and with it sinks into the ground. 

 For the first three "(lays after sowing water is given regularly night and morning, after 

 that only once a day. The young plant first shows above ground on the fifteenth day, 

 after which water is only given every other day for a month, when it is supplied at 

 intervals of three days, and this is continued for another month, by which time the 

 plants have become nearly 2 feet high. They are now fit for transplanting. * * * 

 The young plant on being taken out of the ground is reduced by nipping off about 

 6 inches from the centre shoot. After having been subjected to this treatment, the 

 young plants are singly put into holes, previously dug for them, at distances of about 

 a foot from each other. They are then watered daily until they have recovered the 

 shock of transplanting, and afterwards, as they may require it. * * * The first 

 year nothing is taken from the plants, but after that they yield, for years without 

 intermission, a double crop. At each cutting, about 9 inches is taken from the top 

 shoots of the plants. * * * The season for sowing is during April and May, that 

 of transplanting, July and August. A year's produce of an acre of well-grown mendhi 

 is 20 maunds of dry leaves, of which about 6 maunds are gathered in the spring, and 



• References :— FI. Br. Ind., II., 57.3 ; Roiss., Fl. Or., II., 711 ; Watt, Diet. Econom. Prod., IV., 597; Atkinson, 

 r>onnrr. IW. N -W. Prov., III., 29 ; Kdgeuorth in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, VIII., 755 \ B randis, For. Fl.. 238 ; DC, L'Orig. 

 PI. Colt. 109 j L. incrmU, Roxb., PL Ind. (Clarke's Ed ), 325 j Roy le, III. Him. Bot, 213 i Stewart, Ponj. PI., 90 j Thar, 

 macogr. Ind. II., 41. 



