294 



On the Vegetation of the Jhelwm District. 



[No. 3, 



5 



regards quantity and the quality of the fibre. The fact is, that the 

 soil in general is too poor and too dry, but if this be properly 

 enriched with manure, freely watered, and under shade, a good crop 

 is the usual result. 



Tobacco. "Tumbakoo," Nicotiana Tahacum y is cultivated more as 

 garden produce and undergoes free irrigation. There is not so much 

 raised as is required for local use, but what is raised, is considered of 

 a good quality. 



Safflower. Of this a large quantity is cultivated, good in quality 

 and sufficient both for the local market and for exportation. The 

 seeds are used, though not extensively, for making oil. 



Indigo. Indigofera tinctoria — " Nil," is cultivated strictly for 

 home consumption, and is used for dyeing the beard of the cultivator. 



Rice. " Chaul," Oryza sativa has been cultivated in this tract, but 

 very rarely. The fact is, there is no soil sufficiently moist and loamy 

 for its cultivation. 



Sugar-cane grows in this tract only as a garden product, not to 

 have its juice extracted for the preparation of sugar, but to be sold 

 in the bazar in the cane, and thus eaten by the natives. The cane 

 is very poor, being small and exceedingly silicious. 



"Sunn," Crotalarea juncea and " Sooja Para," Hibiscus cannabinus 

 - — are both grown in small patches and in stripes round fields, the first, 

 however, more commonly. The fibres of both are good, and are 

 manufactured into a coarse twine by the zemindar and thus sent to 

 market. They do not seem to be cultivated for exportation. 



GrARBEJST PRODUCE. 



From gardens, which are attached to nearly every village, we have 

 the markets well supplied with all the vegetables that are usually 

 cultivated by natives, and which are used extensively by them in the form 

 of " thurkarees." The principal vegetables are " Moolies," varieties 

 of the radish — " Piaz," onions ■— " Baingons," egg-plant, Solarium 

 Melongena ; " Shalgum," varieties of the turnip— " Poluch," varieties 

 of the spinach — " Gaager," varieties of carrot — " Shuker-kund," species 

 of Arum — " Moukha," Portulaca oleracea — "Eam-turai," Hibiscus 

 longif alius — besides an immense variety of the Gucurbitacece viz, 

 u Kudoo," Gucurbita Pepo ; " Keera," Oucumis sativus ; " Khurbooza," 

 Cucum.is Mela; " Turbooza," Gucurbita Citrullus ; " Kukree." Cucumis 

 ti'tilissvmus, &c. 



