308 a description, Sec. 



every other crop fails, if thus cultivated, it would afford 

 the inhabitants a fure and certain refource, under the 

 moft dreadful, and what has hitherto been, to them, 

 the moft destructive, of all calamities, famine. It is 

 well known that the rice, and other forts of grain, 

 which form the chief part of their fuftenance, require 

 a confiderable degree of moisture to bring them to per- 

 fection. An unufually dry feafon destroys the harvest 

 in thofe articles, and reduces the ryots in general to the 

 utmost mifery; a predicament into which they could 

 hardly fall, even in the fevereft dearth of grain, whilst 

 they had plenty of the flowers and fruit of the Mdhwah 

 to depend upon. 



It may be here not improper to obferve, that Mr. 

 Keir is now fowing a few acres with the feed of thisufe- 

 ful tree, and means to fence it; which may, perhaps, 

 in time, tempt others to follow fo good an example. 



Chatra, Ramgur, July 6 S 1785. 



XV. 



