MANUAL OF THE NILAGIKI DISTRICT. 455 



II CHAPTER XXVII. 



AGRICULTURE. 



{By Major-General Mo rg.ktu, formerly Deputy Conservator of Forests, Nilagiris.) 



Introduction. 



Mr. Sullivan's enterprise. — Mr. S. R. Lushington's farm at Kaity. — The Com- 

 mittee's report. — Major Ouchterlony's proposal. — Silk-worm cultm-e. — Grant to 

 Mr. John Mclvor. — Private effort. — Loi-d Napier's Minute. — Major Ouchterlony's 

 statement of produce. 



By way of preface to the following interesting paper by Major- CH. XXVII. 

 General Morgan, than whom no one has had a wider experience . 



in experimental English farming on the plateau, I proceed to 



note briefly the history of agriculture in the district- 



Mr. Sullivan may be well called the pioneer of improved agricul- Mr. Sullivan's 

 ture and horticulture, especially on the higher plateau, and to ^^ ^''P"^®- 

 his efforts in this way I have already referred in a preceding 

 chapter. Soon after he had begun to build the house known 

 as " Stonehouse," he obtained the consent of Government for 

 procuring at his own charges the services of a professional 

 gardener and agriculturist for the purpose of making experi- 

 ments in agriculture and horticultiu'e ; and, on the arrival of this 

 employe, the Government pei'mitted Mr. Sullivan to enclose 500 

 bullas or nearly 1,900 acres, he having apparently purchased the 

 land from the Todas. His intention was only to cultivate suitable 

 portions of this area. The tracts occupied by him appear to 

 have been the hills and valleys extending from Stonehouse to 

 the neighbourhood of Bishopsdown. On these properties which 

 were portions of the original block passing into the hands of 

 Government on Mr. Sullivan's leaving the Hills in or about 1830, 

 they continued to maintain the gardens, though on a small scale, 

 until the radical changes in the Hill administration under Sir 

 Frederick Adam. I have not been able to find any account of 

 Mr. Sullivan's agricultural enterprise, but from scattered notices 

 it appears that to him is mainly due the introduction of 

 Ruropean fruits and flowers. He also made attempts to introduce 

 the culture of English cereals among the Badagas. Species of 

 i»ar]ey and wheat are still known as the dare's (gentleman) wheat or 



