8 Oils of Southern India, [no. 5, new series, 



cultivation of those oil seeds for which there is already a steady de- 

 mand. The oil cultivation seems in a remarkable manner to ac- 

 commodate itself to the demand, and there is but little fear of a de- 

 ficiency of supply as long as remunerative prices are offered. 



SECTION II. 



Abstract of oil cultivation in the several districts 

 of the Presidency.* 

 NORTH ARCOT. 



The principal oils of this Collectorate are*;Gingeley and Lamp, 

 both of which are cultivated very generally throughout the District. 

 Castor, Cocoanut and Ground nut are produced to a limited extent. 



The plants yielding Kurunj and Brumadundo also grow sparing- 

 ly, the latter from its cheapness being frequently used in this and 

 other collectorates to adulterate more expensive oils. 



Exports, none. 



SOUTH ARCOT. 



Ground nut is the chief oil produced and'exported in this Dis- 

 trict. Gingeley oil is also sent in tolerably large quantities to Eu- 

 rope, but the demand for both appears to fluctuate considerably. 

 Mustard oil and seed have been lately exported, and the cultiva- 

 tion is on the increase. Cotton is grown on from 15 to 20,000 caw- 

 nies of land, but the oil of the seed is not extracted. Illoopoo oil 

 is prepared to a limited extent and sold at Rupees 25 per Candy, 

 * and oil is obtained from both kinds of Physic nut and burned by 

 the poorer classes. 



* Note. — The difficulty of obtaining accurate statistics of Agricultural Produce 

 in India is very great ; the system of sowing several crops in one field also tends 

 to augment the labour. Although therefore the following returns are believed 

 to represent a very fair approximation to the average amount of cultivation and 

 export, yet too much reliance should not be placed upon these figures. As re- 

 gards prices also some idea may be formed of their fluctuation and of the impossi- 

 bility of basing any calculations on such data, by a return received from North 

 Arcot, in which the prices of the same oil are shown to vary to the extent of one- 

 third in different towns of the district. 



