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Sketches of the Meteorology, Geology, Agriculture, Botcmy, 

 and Zoology of the Southern Mahratta Country. By Alex- 

 ander TuRNBULL Christie, M. D. Member of the Wer- 

 nerian Society. (Continued from p. 120 of preceding Vo- 

 lume.) 



AGRICULTUHB, &C. 



Were I to give any thing Uke a detailed account of the agri- 

 culture of the Darwar district, I would have to repeat much 

 that has already been published in the works of Buchanan and 

 Marshall ; and, moreover, such details would possess little in- 

 terest for the general reader. I will therefore merely present a 

 slight sketch of the agricultural features of the district, with an 

 account of the different articles of cultivation and their uses, 

 and will particularly notice whatever circumstances have hitherto 

 escaped the observation of others. 



The peculiarities of climate in the different parts of this dis- 

 trict, necessarily occasion a great diversity in their agricultural 

 characters. The western parts, towards the Gauts, which are 

 covered with forest, and have a very wet climate, admit of the 

 cultivation of a little rice only in the valleys or on the gentle 

 slopes of the hills. As we proceed eastward, the climate be- 

 comes gradually drier, the forest diminishes, and the dry crops 

 become more abundant. Lastly, towards the eastern parts of 

 the district, we meet with nothing but dry crops, except in a 

 few spots, where rice is cultivated by means of artificial irriga- 

 tion. These circumstances give rise to a very natural division 

 of the soils of the district into two distinct kinds, as has long 

 been adopted by the natives, viz. those on which rice can be 

 cultivated without irrigation from tanks, and those suited only 

 for dry crops The former are called Mulnad, the latter Bel- 

 wul lands. The former are confined to the western parts of 

 the district, it being there only that there is a sufficient supply 

 of rain for the cultivation of rice, without artificial irrigation. 

 The latter occupy all the middle, the eastern, and south-eastern 

 parts. At the same time, it necessarily happens, that the mul- 



APRIL — JUNE 1829. D 



