190 CULTURE AT SAHARUNPORE AND IN THE HIMALAYAS. 
soil and climate are dry during the cold-weather months and 
season of cultivation; that is, from October to March, with 
the exception of some rain at Christmas time, often called 
the chota bursaut. The district has, however, enjoyed the 
advantage of canal irrigation for more than twenty years, 
under the superintendence of Sir Proby Cautley, greatly to 
the benefit of the country and people. This would give great 
facilities for Flax cultivation, and would not be expensive. 
The experimental culture which has been sanctioned to 
be made by Dr. Jameson in the Botanic Garden at Saharun- 
pore, as well as in the Himalayas, will no doubt be carried on 
with his characteristic energy. The experiment will be useful 
from the information which it will undoubtedly afford for com- 
parison with those which have been made in Bengal and Behar, 
as Saharunpore is situated near the north-western extremity of 
the Gangetic valley, and the temperature is such that there is 
every prospect of the plant being slow in growth, and that, 
with the aid of canal irrigation, the growth will be such as to 
insure sufficient length of fibre. Of the temperature in the 
cold-weather months we may judge from the following, deduced 
from the Author’s observations while he was Superintendent of 
the Botanic Garden ; from which it will be seen that November 
would be the fittest month for sowing, and the crop could be 
gathered in February or March, before the heat becomes great. 
Mean Temperature.’ 
Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March. April. 
74 64 55 52 55 67 78 
In the Himalayas the season of cultivation is the same as in 
Europe ; for there, us here, the winter mouths are too cold for 
the growth of plants—but the spring and summer temperature 
is exactly suited to the growth of an annual like the Flax 
plant. 
Mean Temperature. 
March. April. May. June. July. August. Sept. Oct. Nov. 
53 59 66 67 67 66 64 57 50 
As far as temperature is concerned, there is evidently a long 
period for cultivation, and different months might be selected 
? See the Author's Report on the Botanic Garden at Saharunpore, ‘ Journ. of the 
Asiatic Society,’ vol. i. 
