OF SCARCITY IN THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 
173 
grasses and vegetables would not keep human life for a considerable 
period with safety and health/’ 
The Mamletdar of Sangamner Taluka, Ahmednagar, writes : 
'‘In other seasons the poorer classes collect the seeds of Ichaka^ 
God.idi diVidi Kena, Kaotha nut B-Vid. Umbar, The fruits of Prickly 
Pear too are used by the poorer classes.” 
Dr. Lisboa remarks [op. cit.) : “ It is a fact that many of the 
plants in the list given below contain less of nutritive principles 
and more of woody tissue, gummy and resinous substances and 
various extractive matters which are neither digestible nor nourish- 
ing; they may be palatable to the taste and temporarily appease 
the cravings of hunger, but their exclusive use for a lengthened 
period brings on decay and emaciation and renders the constitu- 
tion an easy prey to disease. This assertion is not based on 
theory alone. Numerous facts observed during the famines in Orissa, 
Behar, Madras, and the Southern Mahratha Country, prove that 
the protracted use of such herbs alone, even of taclu^ muchur^ etc., 
which are used in ordinary seasons in small quantities along with 
other food, was followed by emaciation and other symptoms of 
slow starvation such as an^mia^ scurvy, etc., often proving 
fatal by inducing diarrhoea, dysentery, dropsy of the whole body, 
or of the abdomen alone .... besides the plants below mentioned, 
there are many others which famine-stricken people make use of, 
in fact, it would appear that they devour whatever more or less 
tender vegetable substances they come across, provided they are 
not either very acrid or bitter.” 
My thanks are due to the Collectors and other duly mentioned 
officers of the districts from which information was sent to me. 
Ahmednagar District — 
The Collector. 
The Mamletdar of Akola. 
5, of Ahmednagar. 
,, of Karjat. 
„ of Kopargaon. 
,, of Newasa. 
,, of Parner. 
„ of Rahuri. 
„ of Sangamner. 
,, of Shevgaon. 
5, of Shrigonda. 
