134 



MANUAL OP THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



CHAP. VII. 



Useful 

 Plants. 



-Pulses. 



— Cereals. 



A. PULSES. 



N.O. LEGUMINOS^. 

 The varieties of pulses cultivated on the plains are rather numerous^ 

 but very few of them are suited for the cold wet climate of the Hills. 

 English peas and beans are reared in gardens and find a ready sale in ' 

 the weekly markets. 



B. CEREALS, 



N.O. GRAMINE^. 

 The chief grain crops of the Nilagiris are as follows : — 

 Panicum. Tarn. Korali,' probably a form of P. italiaim changed by 



climate. 

 Panicum miliare. Eng. Millet. T(mi. Same. 

 Panicum miliaceum. Eng. Little Millet. Dtik. China. Tarn- Var%u. 



Kan. Navone. 

 Eleusine cokacana. Eng. Raggi. Duh. Raggi- Tarn. Kaywur. 



Kan. Raggi. 

 Triticum vdlgare. Eng. Wheat. DuJc. Gehun. Tani. Godumai. 



Kan. Godhi. 

 Hordeum. Eng. Barley. Tarn. Barli-arisi. 



These well known grains need no explanatory notices. Of the six 

 kinds named, Korali and Barley are the two most commonly cultivated. 

 In addition to the grains proper a species of Amaranthus is raised to a 

 small extent, and its seeds form a nutritious article of food. 



— Roots and 

 tubers. 



— Fruits and 



C. ROOTS AND TUBERS. 



N.O. SOLANACE^. 

 Solanum tuberosum, the potato, has long been cultivated on the 

 Hills, but of late years the crops have been more or less a failure owing 

 to potato-disease, and from constantly growing the tubers in the same 

 ground, by which the soil gets exhausted. 



N.O. DIOSCOREACE^. 

 Dioscorea pentaphylla, a twining jungle plant yielding a kind of 

 yam. 



N.O. AROIDE^. 



Amorphophallus campanulatus. Eng. Telinga-potato. Tarn. Karunai. 

 The root of this anun attains a size as large or even larger than 

 that of a man's head, and is eaten like yams. 



D. FRUITS AND SEEDS. 



N.O. MALVACEiE. 

 Hibiscus esculentus. Eng. Edible Hibiscus. Etik. Bhendi. Tarn. 



Vendaik-kai. Kan. Bende-kai. 

 A mucilaginous fruit, eaten as a vegetable. 



1 The native synonyms will be given as far as known, and the following are 

 the contractions oraployod in rendering them -.— Tam. Tamil. Kan. Kanarese. 

 Duh. Dukhni (the form of Hindustani used in Southern India). 





