1841.] of Hunumkoonda. 389 



The Mango find Tamarind trees are common about villages. 



The grain chiefly cultivated is rice, of which no fewer than eight va- 

 rieties are sown. Of these the beetee wadroo is the most cultivated, 

 being both a rain and a dry weather crop, it is a middle sized grain with 

 a husk of a light brown colour j two of the other kinds are much 

 smaller grains with white husks, the other five differ in size, colour of 

 husks, &c. 



Little of the rice raised is consumed by the inhabitants, but sent to 

 Hydrabad forming the principal export ; in the districts its consumption 

 is limited to the richer Mahomedans, Hindoo Zemindars, Brahmins, &c. ; 

 the poorer classes chiefly derive their subsistence from the rain or 

 punass crops. 



The principal punass or khureef crops, are as follows :— of grains, An- 

 dropogon Sorghum (two varieties of jooarry, red and white ; the first 

 only properly a punass crop, Andropogon Sacharatum), Bajree, Paspa- 

 lum scrobiculatum ; Triticum wheat, a red sort sparingly cultivated ; Pa- 

 nicum Italicum, Italian millet; Cynosurus Corocanus (Raggy), and Zea- 

 Mays. Of oil plants, Sesamum orientale, black and white, Ricinus commu- 

 nis, two kinds. 



Of Legumes, Dolichos Lablab, Dolichos gladiatus, Dolichos fabaefor- 

 mis, Phaseolus mungo, Hibiscus cannabinus (Umbarah), a hemp plant, 

 (leaves used by the natives as greens) and a variety of cotton called 

 Salkapas. The rubbee crop consists of white jowarree, Cicer arietinum, 

 Phaseolus mungo (a black variety), Crotolaria juncea (the sunn plant), 

 and cotton, sugar, and paun. Piper betel is also cultivated to a limited 

 extent, and also tobacco of an inferior quality. It is remarked that 

 tobacco irrigated from a well of brackish water is superior in flavor to 

 that irrigated from sweet water. 



This can be easily understood, as a common means with fraudulent 

 tobacconists of heightening the flavor of their tobacco is by dipping it 

 in a saline solution. The garden produce consists of red pepper, brinjals, 

 onions, garlic, carrots, radish, sweet potatoes, dill, coriander and bishop's- 

 weed seeds, mustard seed for oil, fenugreek and some speices of amaran- 

 thus for greens, they use also the flowers of the aeschynomone grandiflora 

 as a potherb. 



Melons, cucumbers, and gourds, as in other parts of India, form a con- 

 siderable article of diet, particularly in the dry season. 



The village cattle are small, and at this season of the year far from 

 well flavoured, but is said that a stout breed of bullocks is not to be met 



3 C 



