seems to me, for the reasons which the reader will find 

 stated at the pages already referred to, that the authorities 

 in England and India should take the first step to establish 

 the industry ; and I should have thought myself wanting 

 in loyal duty to the Government whose servant I have the 

 honour to be, had I not placed before it the advantages 

 which would accrue from the encouragement of the culti- 

 vation of the plants in question. I conceive it to be the 

 duty of every loyal servant of the Government to act up to 

 the spirit of the instructions issued by the Governor- 

 General of India, in Council, to Dr. Buchanan Hamilton, 

 seventy years ago, when the first attempt was made to carry 

 out a statistical survey of Bengal. " Should it appear," 

 says his Excellency, " that any new object of cultivation 

 could be introduced with advantage, you will suggest the 

 means by which its introduction may be encouraged." 



In obedience to this command, which I consider to be 

 still morally incumbent on every Indian official, I have 

 written the following pages. If I succeed in inducing the 

 Government to take action in the matter, with a view of 

 testing the accuracy or otherwise of my anticipations, I 

 shall be amply rewarded. 



I cannot conclude these prefatory remarks without ex- 

 pressing my sincere acknowledgments to Colonel Sir W. 

 MEREWETHER, K.C.SJ., C.B., for the very courteous manner 

 in which he has supplied me with valuable information on 

 the subject of this pamphlet. 



