li^O A NOTE ON PLANTS USED DURING FAMINES AND SEASONS 
as they are and then cut into pieces and kept for a suffici- 
ently long time in flowing water, or they are boiled again and 
again— the process continuing for one night— fresh water 
being put in several times. Then the refuse is mixed with 
konda or some flour and eaten (the root matter deprived 
of the bitter juice is only used). The same remarks re- 
garding preparation apply to the tubers of Dioscorea penta* 
phylla (chai kand) and the corms of Sauromatum guttatum 
(Diva kand).'* ** A bitter root ; it is used for vegetable.^ 
** Toast and eat with whey.” “Cut into pieces, washed 
with water about ten times and then seethed. They are 
eaten as they are or are pounded into flour and made 
into bread 
Dioscorea, sp. Vaja kand (Taloda, Khandesh). The species 
is doubtful owing to the absence of leaves. The tubers were 
planted and will, perhaps, shoot during the rains. The 
leaves, the stem, and the root of this creeper are 
whiter than those of the Kadawa kand {Dioscorea sativd)» 
The root is highly poisonous. The poison causes great 
intoxication. It is sweet to the taste. The poison is got 
rid of by the process employed in preparing Kadawa kand 
for food. It is said that the root is so poisonous that it is 
resorted to in killing tigers. When tigers kill animals 
in their neighbourhood, the villagers insert a quantity of 
the flour from the pounded roots into the body of the 
killed animal. The poison permeates throughout the body 
and when the tiger returning eats it, he becomes infatuated 
and mad and unable to move from the place. He scarcely 
knows where he is, and then the villagers make short work 
of the animal eater.^^ 
L1LIACE.E. 
8milax, macrophylla, Roxb. Tamboli (Poona District). The 
roots and leaves are eaten. This is a common^ plant on 
the Ghats. 
Asparagus racemosuS} Willd. (Diet, of Econ. Prod.) 
Clilorophytum tuberosum, Bak. Safed mosali (Shir pur, 
Khandesh). Kolu (Nasik and Ahmednagar Districts). 
Sevni (Walore, Surat). The bulbs and leaves are eaten. 
“It is dried up and converted into flour and made into 
loaves,” 
