1839] 



0?i the Statistics of Dukhun. 



165 



Such are the cultivated garden products of the natives : it will be seen 

 that they are rich in the cucurbitaceous family, and not less so in the 

 aromatic and pungent plants ; and the edible roots are various. Edible 

 leaves, used as greens, are very numerous, particularly those produced 

 spontaneously. My limits do not permit me to give even the names of 

 wild plants producing greens, fruits used as vegetables, or edible roots ; 

 the flowers of some plants are used as greens ; such as the Angustee^ 

 Mschynomene grandiflora ; the vShewga, Hyperanthera inorunga, or 

 horse-radish tree ; and those of the Kanchun, Bauhinia purpurea ; the 

 foot-stalks of the flowers of the splendid Convolvulus candicans are used 

 in a similar way. The tender twigs of the common bamboo are good as 

 greens, and they are also made into a pickle. The flower, stalks, and 

 roots of the Lotus (Nijmpha esculenta) are reckoned fine; but I must 

 stop. 



Grasses. — The grasses are innumerable, and are not less distinguished 

 for their beauty than their variety. One of the most common is that 

 highly nourishing grass the Agrostis linearis, which, it appears, is a na- 

 tive of Cornwall, under the name of Panicon dactylon. In biting the 

 knots or joints of the Ghateea f Jridropogon Martini ?) there is a strong, 

 pungent, aromatic, and oleaginous exudation. The well-known aroma- 

 tic Khus Khus (Andropogon muricatusj is abundant in Dukhun, as well 

 as the sacred grass Durb, Poa cynosuroides. In speaking of the grasses 

 it may be as well to say that it is not the practice of the natives to make 

 hay from meadows ; they allow the grass on waste lands to become per- 

 fectly dry, and then cut it down with the sickle, as a substitute for hay. 



Wild cordage plants.— Tha spontaneous cordage plants are the Gayal, 

 Agave vivipara ; the Kaswuree, Sida patens ; and some others. 



Wild oil plants. — The wild oil plants are the Kurunj, Galedupa arbo- 

 rea ; and the Kurd Kangonee, a small tree of the class and order Pen- 

 tandria monogynia. 



Wild farming plants. — The plants used in preparing leather are the 

 Chatnbar Heerda, Terminalia Chebula ; Rahn Turwur, Cassia auricu-o.- 

 ta; the Sadrah or Aaeen, Termhialia alata glabra; and the Baubul, 

 Mimosa arabica, the bark of which is in great repute. 



Medicinal platits. — The medicinal plants are numerous. Amongst the 

 most useful are the Khyr, Mimosa catechu ; the Seegeekaee, Mimosa ah' 

 stergens ; many species of Datura ; Kuntuh Kareeka, Solanum jacquini ; 

 Sagurgotta, CcBsalpinia bonduccella ; Korpur, Aloe succotrina ; Dadma- 

 ree, Euphorbia tiruculli ; Gooleea Eendrawun, Cucumis colocynthis ; 

 "ReetB., Sapi?idus detergens ; Sahl Phul, Boswellia thurifera ; Bawcheea, 

 Psoralea coryUfolia ; some of the Ocimums, and many of the Asclepias 



