140 



Observatio?is on JVidh Grass. 



[April 



per culms rising from the points of the roots that approach 

 the surface, three or four together, and from two to four 

 feet high, jointed, sohd, about two thirds of the space be- 

 tween the joints^ enclosed in the sheaths of the leaves. 

 Leaves narrow, lanceolate, pointed, smooth, or slightly 

 hispid, coriacious, of a pale whitish green colour. Spikes 

 linear, erect, 4-G, rarely a single pair, five or six inches 

 long, clothed their whole length with white hair, but most 

 abundant at the insertion of the flowers, rachis jointedj 

 separating at the joints when ripe, with the persistent 

 glumes and seeds attached. Spiklets springing from the 

 joints, attachment lateral, glumes coriacious, hairy, av/nless^ 

 longer than the paleae. Paleee hyaline, usually all perfect, 

 the interior ones of the fertile flow^ers somewhat boat 

 shaped, cleft at the apex, and furnished from the middle 

 of the bark, with a short awn scarcely exceeding the glume. 

 Seed cylindrical, tapering a little at the ends, glabrous^ 

 free, enclosed v/ithin the persistent glumes and paieas. 



The jointed fragile hairy rachis, and persistent spiklets, 

 give this plant unusual facilities of scattering its seeds, 

 which are so light as to be easily carried to considerable 

 distances by the v/ind. 



I have already mentioned, that it is probable that the suc- 

 cessive rulers in these districts have, from time immemorial, 

 been paying considerable sums for the destruction of this 

 plant I less so perhaps now than formerly, from the long 

 continued quiet they have enjoyed under the British sway, 

 and the consequent high state of cultivation every where 

 apparent in them. I draw this inference from the follow- 

 ing document obligingly communicated by Mr. Lacon 

 collector at Cuddapah, who caused several queries to be 

 addressed to some of the neighbouring ryots, a translation 

 of the answers to which, he gave me. The evidence afford- 

 ed by that paper, seem.s clearly to prove the antiquity of 

 the usages now in force for clearing nuth-land, and the 

 amount of remission and cowle to be granted on that ac- 

 count ; as yet apparently to little purpose, as the grass 

 is still very abundant. Another circumstance leading to 

 the same conclusion, is the adoption of terms expressive 

 of the local extent of the evil, and indicating in a single 

 word, the measureg to be employed for its removal ; since 



