efiEort. 



460 MANUAL OF THE NJLAGIRI DISTRICT. 



CH. XXVII. luxuriance wliich distinguishes all other descriptions of vegetation on 

 Agui^^ure. *^^^® ^^^^^ ' ^^^ weeding, watering, and pruning which they require 

 ■ involves much expense ; the worms require the most delicate treat- 

 ment both in regard to food and temperature, any mismanagement of 

 which entails destruction on myriads, and the quantity of cocoons 

 produced is not in a sufficiently large proportion to allow the superior 

 quality of the silk reeled from them to secure a profit to the planter. 



" Already one extensive plantation, and worm and silk-house, at 

 Coonoor has been given up, and I should think it will not be found 

 that this description of cultivation will be extended by future settlers." 



SrY h" ^" ^^^^ *^® ^^*® ^^' ^' ^' ^^^I^*^^ obtained, with the sanction of 



Mclvor. the Court of Directors, on behalf of his brothers James and John 



a lease on very favorable terms for 10 years of 2,116 acres of land, 

 part of which v^'as selected at Ootacamand and part at Kateri, 

 with the object of establishing a '' Scotch farm with improvements 

 of grains, grasses, and cattle, &c." The project however was not 

 carried into effect, the lands at Kdteri being utilized for the 

 growth of coffee and potatoes. The land at Ootacamand was 

 ultimately resumed, and that at Kdteri finally transferred to the 

 late Mr. James Mclvor by special agreement. 

 Private Although Government has not again interfered in agricultural 



enterprise, yet during the past twenty years, with the development 

 of the settlement of Europeans on the plateau, more especially 

 those connected with coffee-planting, many experiments have been 

 made in a small way in the cultivation of exotic food-plants and 

 to some extent in the introduction of sheep. The farm at Tudor 

 Hall, on the northern slope of the Hills, which bounds Ootacamand 

 on the north, was the most systematically conducted enterprise, 

 and General Morgan^s experience was mainly gained here ; but 

 within the last four or five years a farm has been established at the 

 Lawrence Asylum, and the experience there obtained, which will 

 be found briefly summainsed in some of the recent annual 

 reports, will prove of use to ^intending agriculturists. The estab- 

 lishment of a model farm in Madras and the appointment of a 

 scientific agriculturist as its Superintendent gave rise to hopes that 

 the Government might establish an experimental farm on the 

 plateau. The scheme of provincial farms, which was contemplated 

 in connection with the Madras project, did not embrace the 

 Nilagiris, but the plains, which naturally had the first claim on 

 the attention of Government. In September 1871, however, 

 Lord Napier^s Government determined to have the productive 

 I^'>i'<J ^ capabilities of the Hills reported upon by Mr. Robertson, the 



minute,^ Superintendent of the Farms at Saidapet. Lord Napier writes 

 in a minute dated 7th September 1871 : — 



" The hill ranges of this Presidency do, however, also offer a legi- 

 timate subject of inquiry in this respect (improvement of husbandry), 

 and the Neilgherries, as the seat of the Government sanitarium, of 



