1849.] On the Cullivatio7i of the Hurriallee Grass. 477 



III. On the Cultivation of the Hurriallee Grass. Communicat- 

 ed by Colonel Reid, C. B., Secretary to the Agri- Horticul- 

 tural Society. 



For the following valuable paper, on the cultivation of the " Hur- 

 riallee Grass," we are indebted to Major Ottlej^ Fort Adjutant at 

 Vellore, on application being made to him, by the Agri-Horticultu- 

 ral Society of Madras, to assist them in meeting the wishes of Go- 

 vernment, on behalf of Her Majesty's Colonial Government of Cey- 

 lon, to procure and forward (with the eventual view of transmitting 

 from thence a portion for introduction into Her Majesty's Colonies 

 of the Cape, New South Wales, &c.) either seeds, or roots of |he 

 grass, known at Madras as the '* Dhoob" or " Hurriallee," and on 

 which our horses are almost entirely foraged. 



The grass in question is the Panicum Dactylon, of Roxburgh ; 

 Agrostis, linearis of Linnceus ; Telinga, Ghericha ; Tamil, Arugum 

 Pilla, and Hindoostanee, Dhooh. It is unquestionably the most valu- 

 able grass India possesses for forage, but its capabilities, as a hay 

 grass, though partially known for years ; have not been fully develop- 

 ed, until lately. 



The grass, in its natural state (and it may be seen most commonly 

 on every road-side) partakes of the character called creeping, the 

 flower bearing branchlets alone, being erect, and these rarely arriving 

 at a foot in height, and by no means abundant. It is to cultivation, 

 therefore, that we owe its becoming a hay grass, and Major Ottley's 

 paper shows to what perfection it can be brought; the grass, in fa- 

 vourite places in his ground, grows to the extraordinary height of 

 from 3 to 4 feet and averages 2 feet throughout. The crops are so 

 luxuriant that the space, on which the grass is grown, is not suffi- 

 ciently large to work it on in the drying, — the lower part of the stalks 

 being one complete entangled mass. The growth is so rapid, that, 

 if requisite, nearly monthly crops could be taken, each acre produc- 

 ing a ton at a bearing, and each ton worth 30 rupees at least. 



One of the most remarkable qualities of this grass, and, to us, cer- 

 tainly, one of the most valuable, is the fact of its rejoicing in the 

 heat, the very best crops are produced in the hottest weather, and there 

 can be no doubt, but that the hay of such crops will be sweeter and of 

 a more nouritjhing qualify, from the combined effects of the sun and 



