820 PROPOSED CULTURE OF HEMP IN INDIA. 
thought Rohilcund and the neighbouring hills suited to 
the cultivation of Hemp. I have seen it in great abundance, 
in a wild state, in the Deyra Doon, and also in the Khadir land 
of the Saharunpore district, especially along the upper part of 
the Doab Canal, and where it was chiefly valued for its leaves, 
being made into bhang and sudjee, and the stems, when dried 
up, being burnt for firewood. 
“There would be little difficulty in cultivating this plant in 
the low Khadir land, where it is wild ; nor in converting it into 
merchantable Hemp. For the natives of the neighbourhood 
already make use of it, partially for the manufacture of ropes ; 
and the inhabitants of Malabar are said by Dr. H. Scott to 
employ the Hemp for making their fishing nets. 
“The natives of the Himalayas likewise possess the plant, 
from which though they prepare an intoxicating drug, which 
they call churrus, they likewise value it for its ligneous 
fibre, from which they prepare a coarse kind of cloth, which 
they send into the plains for making very durable grain-sacks, 
as well as the strongest ropes (called sel), for crossing their 
rivers, 
“This fact, though not generally known, is mentioned by 
Kirkpatrick in his account of Nepal, and was ascertained by 
General Hardwick, in his visit to Srinuggur, as well as by myself, 
when travelling in the Himalayas (‘ Illust.,’ p. 333). I also 
obtained specimens of the rope and cloth when travelling there, 
but which I regret I am unable now to find. The plant I 
have seen in a very luxuriant state at least ten or twelve feet 
high, in the Himalayas, at elevations of 6000 and 7000 feet, 
especially in the neighbourhood of buffalo-sheds. In such 
situations and near villages it could no doubt be easily cultivated 
to a great extent, and yield a valuable and profitable product. 
“The Hemp could likewise be cultivated in the plains at two 
seasons of the year ; that is, during the rainy season, as is now 
the case, but likewise along with the cold-weather cultivation, 
which is so similar to that of the summer culture of European 
countries. But experiments require to be made and specimens 
procured in order to determine which season is most proper for 
the culture of this plant in order to yield Hemp of the best 
quality. 
Hill people might no doubt easily be obtained for preparing 
