PULSE OR LEGUMINOUS SEEDS. 121 



capsicum, and sometimes cumin and coriander fruits, with 

 the leaves of Laurus Cassia and salt. A little broken capsi- 

 cum with mustard oil or ghi is heated in another vessel 

 and browned, the above preparation of dhal being poured 

 into it. 



To these recipes may be added a note as to the desirability of 

 washing most kinds of pulse in cold water, and the useful effect 

 (especially in the case of lentils) of a brief soaking in water to 

 which a little carbonate of soda has been added ; the alkaline liquor 

 removes a part of the bitter principle present in the pulse, and 

 is then thrown away. 



The proportion of pulse to cereal consumed as food differs 

 much in different parts of India. As examples the following 

 Districts may be named where pulse constitutes from /^ to -h of 

 the food-stuffs consumed, or else is a mere trivial adjunct : 



Hugh', % of the rice. 



Cachar, with fresh vegetables # of the food-stuffs. 



Bogra, Puri, ^ of the food-stuffs. 



Murshidabad, I of the rice. 



Noakhali, Dinapur, Gaya, Saran, i of the food-stuffs. 



Dinajpur, Maldah, T V of the food-stuffs. 



Manbhum, V of the food-stuffs. 



Tirhut, OT of the food-stuffs. 



Ranjpur, Dacca, mere adjuncts. 



Faridpur, many kinds of pulse are eaten when fish is not 

 attainable. 



Chittagong, pulse is eaten by well-to-do natives. 



The following tabular statement gives the number of acres 

 under pulse in 1882-83 m tne ^ ve provinces from which the returns 

 are fairly complete : 



Various Pulses. 



North- West Provinces 4,350,664 



Punjab 3,664,662 



Madras ... 1,955,946 



Bombay ... ... ... ... ... 1,699,432 



Berar ... ... ... ... ... 467,465 



12,138,169 



