1844.] Agricultural and Land produce of Shoa. 259 



Amlee. — July. 

 Heavy rain and fog, sun seldom seen, weed crops, and make trench- 

 es in the fields, plant tobacco, goomun, gourds, chillies, onions and oil 

 plant. 



Naasie. — August. 

 Heavy rain and fog, chiefly at night, with occasional sunshine during 

 the day ; weed crops. 



Muscaram. — September. 

 Heavy rain till the 15th, plough, sow cotton. Grand annual review 

 of Troops. 



Tecumpt. — October. 

 Clear, cold weather with piercing wind from E., hoar frost dur- 

 ing the nights, cut grass for winter hay. Commence gathering in the 

 early June crops. Commence ploughing. Great Military expedition. 

 Hedar. — No vember. 

 Heavy rain on the 12th, gather in remains of July crops, also 

 the April cotton crop. Shear sheep, continue ploughing, extract honey 

 from the hives. 



Tessas. — December. 

 A dry cold month with strong easterly winds, a slight covering 

 of ice appearing on the pools, continue ploughing for February rains. 



18. There does not exist any land measurement in the country, 

 nor any returns whatever of produce or population ; but from a careful 

 observation during many journeys in every direction, I have calculat- 

 ed that one-fifth of the whole surface of Shoa may be fairly considered 

 to be under cultivation, whilst two-fifths are preserved as good mea- 

 dow land, and the remaining two-fifths may be stated to be very indif- 

 ferent soil, forest or impracticable rock. 



19. The Christian population of Shoa and its dependencies, has 

 in a former despatch been roughly estimated at a million of souls, and 

 the Moslem and Galla tributaries at a million and a half. As this po- 

 pulation derives its entire subsistence from the produce of the soil, 

 even allowing two (2) pounds of grain per diem to each individu- 

 al, (and any Abyssinian will devour double the quantity,) the amount 

 annually consumed, would be 1,825,000,000 lbs., and giving one- 

 fourth more for beasts of labour and burden, the amount would be 

 2,281,250,000 lbs. In countries where the art of husbandry has 



