XX11. 



many trees as yet on the hills. The loquat abounds, and some of the 

 trees bear fruit of a very superior flavour. The vine when tended 

 with care, has succeeded well. 



"Nearly every kind of European vegetable grows to perfection, 

 and excellent potatoes might be abundantly produced. 



" The flowers that have been imported, such as geraniums, roses, 

 fuschias, heliotrope, verbenas, &c, grow almost wild, especially the 

 roses and geraniums. 



" There can be no doubt that the Shervaroys might become the 

 market garden of Madras, with the Railway at the foot of the hills, 

 and the Athoor ghaut open to traffic, fruits and vegetables fresh from 

 the gardens could be delivered in the Madras market twelve hours 

 after leaving the hills. There is very good garden ground on the 

 Green Hills, and an ample supply of water might be obtained by 

 sinking wells should no stream be available. Capital laid out in estab- 

 lishing a large fruit and vegetable garden to supply the city of Madras 

 would certainly prove more remunerative than Coffee planting, but it 

 must not be expected that any garden on a large scale can be estab- 

 lished without considerable labour, care and expense ; like most rich 

 and uncultivated land, the soil abounds with destructive grubs, cater- 

 pillars and other insects. Many persons who have attempted to form 

 vegetable gardens have given up in despair on seeing crop after crop 

 destroyed by insects ; one especially, a dark nearly black grub is the 

 most destructive of all, and very difficult to get rid of, but with care 

 and perseverance the soil can be sufficiently cleaned of them and good 

 crops produced, as a few of the gardens on the hills testify. 



" The climate of the Shervaroys is exceedingly delightful, being at 

 a much less elevation than the Nielghcrries, and consequently warmer, 

 the new arrival from the plains feels none of the bad effects from the 

 sudden change so liable to occur on reaching the colder climate of 

 Ootacamund ; yet the air on these hills is sufficiently bracing to be 

 invigorating, and the effect produced on the languid heat-stricken 

 frame of a person long resident on the plains is astonishing. The 

 temperature appears to be very even throughout the year. 



" The game animals found on these hills are tigers, panthers, 



