185362.] CENTRAL TABLE-LAND : FIVE DISTRICTS. 239 



from the great western chain of mountains to what might be CHAP, 

 called the eastern hills ; and from the southern territory of ' 

 Mysore, which has a mean elevation of 3,000 feet, to the 

 northern Districts of Bellary and Cuddapah, where the mean 

 elevation is 1,600 feefc. It embraces five Districts, viz. 

 (1) Bellary, (2) Kurnool, (3) Cuddapah, (4) Salem, (5) Coim- 

 batore. 



(1) Bellary : detailed report from the Collector.- 330 



Bellary is one of the largest Cotton growing Districts in the Mr Halha . 

 Madras Presidency. The Collector reports that nearly 600,000 JJf ' s ^ 

 acres are available for the cultivation, and of these nearly half June 18(J1 * 

 were planted with Cotton during the season of 1860-61. The 

 land is tolerably accessible to the ordinary country carts at 

 all times, save during the rainy weather. A sufficient quan- 

 tity of Cotton is obtained for consumption within the Dis- 

 trict, and a large quantity is exported to Madras, Bangalore, 

 Wallajapet, and Coomptah. These lines of communication, 

 with the exception of the one to Coomptah, appear to be in 

 good order." The following extracts from a detailed report 

 furnished by Mr. Pelly, the Collector, in reply to Professor 

 Mallet's application, are worthy of record. 



Soil. " Attempts have at different times been made to 331 

 introduce the cultivation in this District of the American Mr Pelly , g 

 Cotton ; but the experiments have generally failed. The 

 Cotton grown throughout this District, viz. " White Cot- 

 ton," is of but one kind. This Cotton is grown in the Black 

 or Kegud lands, dependent entirely on the rain ; it is not 

 usual to water Cotton by artificial means. It is customary 

 to cultivate Cotton in every third year, leaving the land in 

 the two intermediate years for the growth of Cholum (dry 

 grain) crops. Before the rainy season sets in, the land is pre- 

 pared and kept ready for sowing, by ploughing it twice with 

 the implement called " Chinna Goontaka," a large hoe drawn 

 by four bullocks. The Regud. or Black lands, of this District 



