170 EFFECTS OF INDIAN CULTURE. 
and strength of the Jubbulpore Hemp, as grown by Mr. 
Williams; as well as by the specimens of Flax which he has 
likewise grown. 
The Indian method of culture is certainly not suited to the 
production of fibre, but the seeds abound in oil. “ The yield 
of oil from a bushel of Indian seed is from 143 1b. to 16 1b. ; of 
English or Irish, 1031b. to 121b.” Therefore, it is evident 
that the Indian ryut succeeds in his object, as well as the 
Irish farmer, who grows the Flax plant for its fibre, but neglects 
to gather the seed: though this is not only a saleable product, 
but one which abounds in nutritious matter for his cattle, 
and would further afford the means of fertilising his fields. 
As it has been found difficult to persuade the Irish farmer to 
gather the double crop, I believe it would be hopeless to induce 
the Indian ryut to change a culture which is suitable for his 
purposes, without the aid of successful example in his neigh- 
bourhood. You might make him grow less seed, but I much 
doubt whether we should get him to produce any useful fibre ; 
and without his co-operation it would be impossible to attain 
any considerable success. Indeed, the Agricultural Society of 
India have given it as their opinion, in one of their resolutions, 
—* That the culture and preparation of Flax in India, so as to 
be able to compete with the Flax of Belgium or Russia, can 
only be effected by practical European growers instructing 
native cultivators in the art; and, further, that an entire 
change in the mode of cultivation, as well as in the preparation 
of the plant, is necessary to produce the article in a proper state.” 
It has, indeed, been made a question, whether a good supply 
of fibre and of seed can be procured from the same crops. 
One gentleman, in reply to my inquiry, informed me (London, 
4th July) that “it has been found impossible to preserve both 
seed and fibre, z.¢., for the better qualities of each; and that 
the plan pursued is simply to gather before the seed ripens, 
when the delicacy and softness of fibre form the desideratum, 
but to leave the plant standing until the fibre is dried and 
greatly injured, in order to secure the superior seed fit for 
sowing ;” and this is the result of information collected after 
a residence of many years in the interior of Russia. Another 
gentleman replies to the same inquiry, from Belfast, on the 8th 
July: “It is not only quite practicable to have good seed and 
