time, the sand and dirt, besides
damaging the teeth, is likely to accumulate in the intestines and give
rise to what is known as sand colic. When the "grass-cutter" brings in his
bundle of grass that he has collected, which he generally does at midday,
it should be spread out and cleaned; sticks and thorns should be picked
out, as they are likely to lodge in the horse's throat and choke him, and
it should be well beaten with a stick to get rid of the sand and dirt. A
good plan is to fasten a net between the wooden framework of a "charpoy,"
or native bedstead, lay the grass on it, and beat it there with a stick,
and it is surprising what a quantity of rubbish will fall through. An old
lawn tennis net, if the meshes are not too big, answers well for this
purpose. Grass-cutters are fond of wetting the grass to make it weigh. If
it is brought in fresh, and damped with clean water beyond the actual
loss in weight, I do not know that it does much harm; but it is
exceedingly likely that the water has been obtained from some stagnant
dirty puddle, and the bundle has been left standing for some time so that
fermentation has set in, giving it an unpleasant smell. It is therefore
best to have the bundles at once opened out and spread in the sun to dry
as soon as they are brought in, and not allow the "grass-cutters" to take
them away to their own houses. In parts of the foot hills of the Himalayas
("hurriarie," or "hurrialie") grass is obtained. It is not found in the
plains, or in the very high mountains where it is cold. It is a long
grass, running to about three feet high, and is cut with a curved sickle.
When young and green it is a capital fodder grass; but when the seed is
shed, and it gets dry, it is unfit for any other purpose than bedding, as
the stalks get very hard and brittle, and so dry that there is little or
no nourishment in it. It should not then be allowed into the stable for
any other purpose than bedding; but being much easier to collect than
"dhoob" grass, the "grass-cutters" will bring it as long as they are
allowed to, even when it resembles nothing more than a bundle of sticks. I
have frequently heard owners of horses in the hills complain of their
animals getting thin and out of condition, the cause of which on inquiry
was simply due to the bad dry hurrialie grass that was brought for them to
eat.

Churrie.

This is the dried stalk of one of the shorgum tribe of plants, which is
also known as the Chines