Public 

 Works. 



398 MANCJAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



CH. XVIII. light traffic on springs, but rapidly disintegrates in very wet 

 NOTE.S ON weather. The Nilagiris have no limestone nor any indigenous 

 timber. Lime is obtained from near Mettapollium. The stone 

 from which it is burnt is semi-crystalline and honey-combed, with 

 about 20 per cent, of silicates. The lime is good, but sets verv 

 slowly. It is burnt at Mettapollium and delivered on the hills 

 unslaked. Morgan's cement is also sometimes used ; it sets 

 quickly, and is a very valuable article. Teakwood is obtained 

 from the Government forests at Mudumale, north-west of 

 Ootacamand. Of late years the supply has deteriorated, as those 

 forests are being gradually worked out. At best the wood is full 

 of holes and flaws, entailing great wastage, and the size of the 

 logs is small. Such scantlings as are eventually obtained are 

 very strong, but the timber is only half seasoned. On the Nilagiri 

 plateau not a single indigenous tree is found which can be used 

 as timber. As the slopes of the mountain are descended trees 

 useful for building are met with, and the lower down the slopes 

 the more numerous and vigorous are these trees. Efforts have 

 been made to thin the plateau forests and to clear away the 

 brushwood, leaving the larger trees to reassert their vigour, but 

 without success ; the trees are a prey to parasites. Australian 

 trees have been introduced into the district with marked success, 

 but many of them are also attacked by parasites of the mistletoe 

 type. The blue-gum, et hoc genus omne, promise to best suit the 

 soil and climate of the Nilagiris. But no real data regarding the 

 value of the timber of these trees has as yet been afforded. They 

 are cut down before maturity, and the wood is used before being 

 in the least seasoned. 

 Wagos and Appendix No. 16-C gives the rates of wages and cost of 



materials materials at every triad during the last quarter of a century. 

 Speaking roughly, during that period the rate of wages has 

 doubled and the cost of materials has tripled. Improved 

 communications have prevented imported articles like lime, 

 teakwood, and Europe iron fi'ora increasing in the same ratio as 

 local materials. Cooly labour being in great demand by owners 

 of estates, it is difficult to procure, and is proportionately inde- 

 pendent. About one-half of the coolies come from Mysore, the 

 other half being the Badagas of the Nilagiris. The former are 

 physically weaker, but do best as brick-makers and road repairers ; 

 the latter are stronger and more intelligent. All skilled labour I 

 is, as required by the Department Public Works, directly imported i 

 from the Coimbatore, Trichinopoly and Madura Districts. ! 

 Private persons (in Ootacamand especially) find it almost impos- | 

 sible to obtain skilled labour in the bazaar, and generally apply to 

 this department for it. Such skilled labour as is obtainable is 

 not always the best. The cold wet chmate induces to indulgence 

 in ardent spirits, and wet days, when little or no work is done^ 



