The late noise about improving pasture grasses has been
made with little reference to the nature of an Indian climate, or the
genius of the Indian people. Pasture grasses only excel in countries
where there is no division of climate into hot, rainy, and cold seasons;
but not in those in which rain is equally, or nearly so distributed
throughout the year. So far as I know, no place in India is calculated
for pasture grass cultivation, because as none of excellent kinds can
succeed without irrigation, this element of Indian agriculture is applied
to more profitable cultures, such as artificial grasses. In the cold
season and the rains, nature supplies _dhoob_ grass bountifully, leaving
the natives to apply their agricultural labour to other objects, and in
such seasons the condition of cattle is decidedly good.

Manikyala Tope, seen from near Rawil Pendi, is an insignificant building,
and presents the same architecture as other topes, and as the Cabul
tower, although it is not of the same materials. The lower part of the
base is of pure sandstone, the upper of a stalactital conglomerate of
small pebbles, often perforated. The terraces at the base are now almost
hid by rubbish, so that the whole looks like an overgrown dome or a low
mound. There are three stone ledges below, with flat pilasters between
the middle and lower ledge on the sides. The dome is much damaged. The
stones of which the building was erected, were not hewn inside, but I do
not know whether they have not been cemented together. Access is easy to
the top partly by means of broken steps, otherwise the stones gave good
footing. The top of the ruin is now open and discloses a square
_funnel_, penetrating half the height of building; thence modern
handiwork has caused a broken irregular perforation. The building is not
remarkable for great size, nor are any of the stones large, still as a
piece of architecture it is far superior to any thing in modern
Affghanistan. The country around is very bare and sufficiently open. It
is curious that there are many Indian plants found on or about the
building, all indicating a decided approach to Hindoostan. A Sida,
Euonymus, Bheir, Lantana, and a Menispermum, are common shrubs on the
building, also Solanum quercifolium, spinis albis floribus coeruleo
purpureis.

_25th_.--To Puttiana, seventeen to eighteen miles; the country much the
same, little wood but bushes of the old trees: it is tolerably open until