460 



Miscellaneous. 



Agri- Horticultural Society's Journal and India Review. 



In 1839 Mr. Griffith, who was attached to the Army of the Indus 

 for the purpose among other things, of obtaining information relative 

 to the productions of Afganisthan, and of taking advantage of such 

 observations as the nature of the campaign might enable him to make, 

 transmitted to England as was his duty, according to the directions 

 of Lord Auckland, from whom he received his instructions, seeds of 

 various useful plants. Of these a Lucerne seed sent from Candahar, 

 although the same species as that generally cultivated in Europe, 

 was found to yield a so far superior crop, that it almost appeared to be 

 a new race, besides being more valuable as a green crop, from its com- 

 ing in much earlier than the plant produced from English seed. A 

 Clover also sent home by Mr. Griffith to England from Candahar, was 

 found in England to be a new species, and was accordingly named Tri- 

 folium gigantium, from its producing a heavy crop, and affording a most 

 valuable fodder for horses, &c. These results were published through- 

 out Great Britain and Ireland eighteen months ago ; and at page 619, 

 Vol II. of this Journal, an extract from the Calcutta Eastern Star of 5th 

 December last, copied from the Gardener's Chronicle as well as a still prior 

 notice in the Friend of India, made the Indian public acquainted with 

 these results which were highly creditable to the person directly instru- 

 mental in effecting them. 



In the second Number of the Journal of the Agri-Horticultural So- 

 ciety, August 1 842, there is published a Memorandum from Colonel Sykes, 

 enumerating the fluctuations in the exports of various productions 

 of India during the last ten years, in which the Cabool Clover is incident- 

 ally referred to in connection with the successful efforts, not of Mr. 

 Griffith, but of Dr. Boyle ! 



We have next a Memorandum said to be " of considerable interest 

 from the late Sir Alex. Burnes," on the above Clover and Lucerne, 

 dated long after both these plants were successfully grown in England from 

 Mr. Griffith's seed. This is succeeded by another Memorandum from 

 Dr. Royle, headed " Clover and Lucerne seed from Affganisthan, by 

 Professor Royle," in which the name of Mr. Griffith is connected with 

 the Lucerne seed, but not with the Clover, which proved to be a new 

 and very highly important article of cultivation in England; the Edi- 

 tor appends a note to shew, that from an old report by Lieut. Irwin, 

 the existence of both the Clover and Lucerne were known in Affganisthan 

 thirty years ago. No one can doubt this, but it is their introduc- 



