Ix APPEJTDTX. 



To this list of products Captain Ouohterlony adds, Coffee, Silk, Hides 

 to any extent, Castor Oil, Bees-wax, &c. and proceeds as follows. 



Numerous plantations of coffee-trees are scattered about the HiUs, 

 principally situated on the slopes descending to the plains, where the 

 elevation suitable for the growth of this shrub can be obtained. Until 

 within the last two or three years, coffee-plantations were only found 

 on the eastern side of the HiUb, but representations of the excellent 

 quaUty of the berry, and of the advantages attending its cultiTation on 

 the Neilgherries, haTiug been made in Ceylon, the attention of the 

 skilfal planters of that island was attracted in this direction, and the 

 result has been the opening of several plantations, where I ventured to 

 predict, in a former memoir, that this description of cultivation would 

 sooner or later be introduced, viz., on the western slopes of the HiUs, 

 where advantages are offered to the planter eminently superior to those, 

 the possession of wluch has, of late years, so greatly enhanced the value 

 and importance of the neighbouring island.* 



The chief of all is, the cheapness of labour, a cooly receiving even on 

 distant plantations in the " Koandahs" 4 rupees a month, while in 

 Ceylon 8, 9 and even 10 are given ; while in the pay of artizans such as 

 carpenters, sawyers, masons, &c , a still greater disparity exists in favor 

 of this district. Second to this is, the abundance of labour which can 

 always be commanded here, the neighbouring provinces of Malabar, 

 Mysore, and Coimbatore supplying coolies in sufEcient numbers to 

 meet all demands, and at all seasons of the year ; while in Ceylon the 

 utmost difficulty is experienced, in most parts, to obtain labourers when 

 urgently required j and at all times the supply of coolies is extremely 

 precarious. Planters here have also the advantage of a good pnblie 

 road, passing through the heart of the forest land of the " Koondahs," 

 and affording ready means for obtaining supplies, machinery, &c. or of 

 sending away produce for shipment by a route, of which less than 30 

 miles are by land and 36 by water, to the port of Calicut. One estate 

 which was opened about 2 years ago near " WaUahkadoo" half way 

 down the Koondah ghaut, by the late Archdeacon of Ceylon and Mr. 

 Hutson, also of that island, and which I had an opportunity of inspect- 



* The Editor on his late visit ascertained, as noticed in the chapter 

 on Soil and Productions, that the produce of one plantation to the west, 

 comprising 600 acres, amounted to 250 tons, and realized in the Lon- 

 don market 78s. a cwt. in the year 1855-56. 



