Chap. XXV. COURTALLUM. 431 



were generally losing concerns. The land-tax on these 

 estates is one rupee an acre. Between December and June 

 it is exceedingly dry, and I, therefore, did not consider it 

 advisable to try the experiment of chinchona cultivation on 

 the Shervaroys during the first or second years. If the plants 

 are hereafter found to be capable of enduring longer di-oughts 

 than we at present expect, they may then be tried on the 

 Shervaroys. 



For the same reason I gave up all idea of the hills near 

 Courtallum, in Tinnevelly. At Courtallum, notwithstanding 

 the perennial humidity, the rainfall is only 40 inches, though 

 on the surrounding hills it is probably greater.'' The ele- 

 vation of those hills, however, is not sufficient for the 

 profitable cultivation of most species of chinchona-plants. 

 Tinnevelly is sheltered from the south-west monsoon by the 

 Travancore mountains, and from the north-east monsoon by 

 the Serumullay hills, 3500 feet high, which rise from the 

 Madura plains near Dindigul, and by the island of Ceylon to 

 the east. This extreme south part of the peninsula, between 

 latitude 8° and 10° north, therefore receives little moisture, 

 and has a hot arid climate, resembling Egypt, and jDroducing 

 senna and Indian cotton of the best quality.^ It is jiossible, 

 however, that localities may hereafter be found, where the 

 chinchona species suited to comparatively low elevations 

 might flourish, such as C. succlruhra and O. micrantha, on 

 the mountains dividing Tinnevelly from Travancore. 



^ Hooker's Flora Indica, i. p. 124. » Ibid., i. p. 183. 



