1839.] On the Manufacture of Rose-water and Utur. 411 



Art. VIII. — On the Cultivation of Roses and the Manufacture of 

 Rose Water and Utur at Ghazeepore. 



We are indebted to Dr. JacIcson, Civil Surgeon at Ghazeepore, for the subjoined 

 very interesting note on the celebrated Rose trade of that district. The information was 

 sought for, for a work now in progress on " Indian Materia Medica" ; meanwhile we have 

 much pleasure in giving publicity in this Journal to the curious facts Dr. Jackson 

 has collected. — Eds. 



I have now the pleasure of sending you the information you require on 

 the manufacture and trade of Rose-water in this district. Ghazeepore 

 seems to have been long famed for its Attar and Rose-water, and 

 having got the name, it has done its best to preserve it. The cultivation 

 of the Rose plant is sufficient to supply the demand, and as the average 

 remuneration is not more than enough to compensate for the trouble 

 of its culture, no competition from the adjoining districts has been 

 made. 



Around the station of Ghazeepore there are about 300 beegahs, or 

 about 150 acres, of ground laid out in small detached fields as Rose 

 gardens, most carefully protected on all sides by high mud walls 

 and prickly pear fences, to keep out the cattle. These lands, which 

 belong to Zemindars, are planted with Rose trees, and are annually let 

 out at so much per beegah for the ground, and so much additional for 

 the Rose plants — generally five rupees per beegah, and twenty-five rupees 

 for the Rose trees, of which there are 1000 in each beegah. The 

 additional expense for cultivation would be about 8/8 ; so that for 

 rupees 30/8 you have for the season one beegah of 1 000 Rose trees. 



If the season is good this beegah of 1000 Rose trees should yield 

 one lac of Roses. Purchases for Roses are always made at so much 

 per lac. The price of course varies according to the year, and will 

 average from 40 to 70 rupees. During the past season the latter was 

 the price given for one lac of Roses towards the conclusion. 



As soon as the Roses come into flower the Zemindars and cultivators 

 of the Rose gardens, as well as intending purchasers, meet in the city, 

 and according to the demand and expected produce, a nerick is esta- 

 blished, and purchasers then enter into agreement with the cultiva- 

 tors for so many lacs of Roses at such a price. This agreement is con- 

 sidered binding, and the cultivator is obliged to deliver the quantity 

 at the contract rate ; when that is completed another can be made, 

 but this latter is always at a much higher rate. 



The Rose trees come into flower at the beginning of March and 

 continue so through April. In the morning early the flowers are plucked 



3 h 



