BOTANICAL NOTES 
ON A 
JOURNEY FROM POONA TO NAGOTNA 
IN 
DECEMBER 1894* 
On this journey I was accompanied by M»* Ranade, the Her- 
barium-keeper, and three of the College of Science Mallees;the 
latter were taken to assist in collecting and to induce an interest 
in the jungal plants they are required to cultivate. 
The route lies near to the 18° North Latitude, and was selected 
because very little was recorded regarding the botanical character * 
of the district it traverses. 
On leaving Poona the road leads due westwards on the left 
bank of the Mutha river. On the outskirts of the city a great 
quantity of Opuntia nigricans^ Haw., in ripe fruit was passed, and 
soon we were among fields irrigated by a canal from the Mutha ; 
those are largely planted with Guava trees ten feet apart, and having 
been raised from seed, bearing fruit of variable size and flavour. 
Fields of sugarcane are abundant, conspicuous from the pale 
yellowish green of the cane ; the sort usually cultivated is called 
Punda^ that is, stout; it is believed to have been introduced 50 years 
ago from Mauritius, and is widely distributed in India under the 
name Bombay cane. At intervals occurs a majestic Peepul^ with a 
stage built round it, usually in this district in very bad repair, and 
a singular form of Babult' resembling the Lombardy Poplar, with 
abundance of the American weed Ageratum conyzoides^ Linn. 
At the village of Kotrood near by considerable nurseries of 
fruit trees have long been established : the Orange tribe in variety, 
Guava and Pomegranate trees are produced in quantity, but they 
have scarcely begun the propagation of the Mango by grafting, 
which is carried on largely by old pupils of the Ganeshkhind 
Garden established on the Poona-Kirkee road. 
On the banks of the irrigation canal MohlX is abundant, and 
Exacum pedunculatum^ Linn,**is conspicuous from its large Solanum- 
like anthers. The grasses are closely grazed, permitting the repent 
Heylandia latebrosa^ D.C., to show its yellow flowers, and Gymnos- 
* Ficus leligiosa. 
t Acada arai-ica, Willd. 
t ten,tisetum alo^ecufus, 3^cud. 
