Mr. J. K. Wilson on Vegetable Climatology. 339 



Comorin in the south. This mountain-chain is designated the 

 Western Ghauts. It is situated between isothermal lines which de- 

 viate httle from their parallels of latitude, and the points of inter- 

 section which they form with the meridian. The Ghauts extend 

 over an immense area, included between the parallels of 21° of north 

 and 8° of south latitude. 



The particular portion of this district to which I am about to call 

 attention is denominated the Mahabaleshwar Hill district. In this 

 district is situated the source of the river Krishna. Near the head 

 of this river is placed a small Brahmin tillage named Mahabaleshwar, 

 and a large number of bungalows occupied by European residents. 

 Tlie site of theEuropean bungalows is 1 7°5C'nor'th latitude,and 73°30' 

 east longitude. The Mahabaleshwar district has been long and de- 

 ser\'edly a favourite resort of invalids ; the climate being cold, bracing, 

 and elastic, and the scenery around magnificent. The hills of the 

 district rise abruptly by means of terraced trappean steps on their 

 western side from the ProA^nce of the Concan, and on their eastern 

 side from the Province of the Deccan. Their general elevation above 

 the level of the sea is 4o00 feet, and their highest attainment 4 700 feet. 

 Their elevation is much more abrupt and precipitous on their western 

 aspect than on their eastern ; the suddenness of their elevation on 

 the western side freely ex})0sing them to the influence of the sea 

 breeze. The hills from top to bottom are trappean and highly 

 quartzose. They are extremely eccentric in their formation, being cha- 

 racterized by great diversity of outline ; precipices, ravines, chasms, 

 scarps, woods, and waterfalls abounding on their surface. They are 

 well supplied with water which permeates their surface from stream- 

 lets which traverse them in all directions. 



In some of the districts at the foot of the hills, I observed the soil 

 increasing from the disintegration of the trap rock, and the native 

 agriculturists selecting for their cereal crops those localities where 

 the greatest amount of disintegration was going on. On the summit 

 of the table-lauds, the soil consists of red clay formed by the disin- 

 tegration of the laterite, a species of cellular ferruginous claystone, 

 which overlies the secondary trap formation, and which constitutes 

 the surface-rock. The soil is very abundant on the lower levels, 

 where it forms a highly productive brown mould, owing to its inter- 

 mixture with decayed vegetable matter and the debris of the trap 

 rocks ; but upon the higher levels the soil is much more scanty and 

 of a redder colour ; the rock below it generally existing in the form 

 of superficial or detached masses, hardened and blackened by oxida- 

 tion from exposure to the air. 



On the plains at the base of the hills rest those plants which re- 

 quire the hottest climate, such as the Palms, Banyans, and oleaginous 

 shrubs ; the vegetation in this locality being tropical, and similar to 

 that which characterizes the plains of India generally ; but upon 

 proceeding from the plains to a more elevated position, a vegetation 

 of a different nature presents itself. The withered grass and scanty 

 stripes of Cocoa-nut trees, and groves of Palms, that afford very 

 inadequate shelter from the scorching rays of a tropical sun, are ex- 

 changed for a vegetation of surpassing beauty, richness, and variety, 



22* 



