QUALITY AND COST OF HEMP IN THE HIMALAYAS. 827 
flexibility which characterise it in the Himalayas. But the 
Author has been informed that they are able to use some of 
the Hemp growing spontaneously along the upper part of the 
Himalayan base, for the general purposes of cordage. The 
Hemp growing in the Goruckpore district at the foot of the 
Hills, is considered of good quality, and some is being sent to 
this country on purpose to have its properties tested. It is 
probable that Mr. Williams might succeed in the cultivation 
of Hemp in the soil and climate of Jubbulpore. 
Quality and Cost of Himalayan Hemp—From the account 
which has been given above, by local officers, of the cultivation, 
and the other testimony which we have respecting the plant, 
there is no doubt that the Ganja of the Himalayas is the true 
Hemp plant of Europe (the Cannabis sativa of botanists). As 
the plant has ceased to be as extensively cultivated as formerly 
chiefly from the want of any external demand, there would 
seem to be no difficulty in again increasing the culture, and to 
a still greater extent, if this requisite for all culture was again 
restored. The only questions which remain to be determined 
are the quality of the Hemp and the cost at which it could be 
conveyed to Indian ports, where, if not required for export to 
Europe, it could be beneficially employed for naval and other 
purposes. This would be preferable to their continuing, as in 
some places is still the case, to import Hemp and Tow from 
Europe, when India produces at least as good, if not a superior 
article, and at a cheaper rate. This is evident from the follow- 
ing abstract of the information on the subject. 
“In the Himalayas the Hemp grows wild, and is, moreover, carefully culti- 
vated, both on account of its exhilarating secretions, and its strong and 
flexible fibre. With the properties of this the Hillmen are well acquainted, 
as they make with it both twine and rope, and a coarse cloth (bhangela) 
with which they clothe themselves, as well as make sacks and bags. ‘Their 
hempen wrappers they wear much as a Highlander does his plaid, fixing it 
in front with a wooden skewer, instead of a brooch. <A traveller in the 
Himalayas, some years since, described the natives as applying Hemp 
‘ extensively to purposes of a domestic nature, such as hanging their super- 
numerary female children, administering rope’s-end to their wives, penning 
up cattle, and making a sort of netted, or knitted, or knotted shoes, to 
ue sole of untanned leather is sometimes, but by no means generally, 
affixed,’ 
“The culture seems to be very well understood in most parts, though the 
best methods are not always practised either of planting, or of picking, or of 
preparing their Hemp. All along the Himalayas—that ‘is in Nepaul, in 
Kemaon, in Gurhwal, and up to the newly acquired hills of the Punjab, at 
