The Neilgherry Mountains. 



[No. 34, 



plains, ^vho have settled in various parts of the Hills, principally in 

 the vicinity of the European stations, and employ themselves in cul- 

 tivating small patches of land for potatoes, turnips and other Euro- 

 pean vegetables. These men having had the value of the soil point- 

 ed out to them, are now commencing in various parts to drain and 

 reclaim the bog lands, and raise upon them crops of the very finest 

 Potatoes, with a very small outlay. Their enterprize is however 

 circumscribed by the absence of an extensive demand, and by the 

 want of dealers who might buy up the surplus stock in the settle- 

 ments, and send the commodity either to Ceylon, where a highly re- 

 munerative market would be found, or to the several large stations 

 in the plains where the demand is always active. 



Wheat, barley, &c., Wheat, barley, and most of the other kinds 

 ;\Ted Vj^b- d of grain produced on these Hills are sown gene- 

 August. April, when the frosty weather has en- 



tirely passed away, and the crops are cut if the season has been fa- 

 vourable in July. Poppy seed however is sown in October, and the 

 drug collected in January, as it- is found that the opium exudes more 

 freely, and of greater consistency and richness, in frosty than in warm 

 weather. For potatoes no particular time is observed, the sets being 

 ^, „ ^ put in the around in any month, except the most 



Three crops of pota- ° J ■> i 



toes raised annually fj-osty ones of December and January, and as 



from the same land. ' 



soon as one crop is taken up, which is in three 

 months from the time of setting, the land is manured, dug and hoed, 

 and fresh sets put in without any delay, so as to ensure three full 

 crops during the twelve months. 



Prices of principal "^^^ priccs of all the grains produced on these 



products. Hills have been already given in the table at 



page 26 ; it is therefore only necessary here to particularize those 

 productions which have not found a place in that return. 



Coffee. — The average price of coffee in the bazar is 5 rupees per maund 

 of 25 lbs: but it fluctuates much, being at the present moment 

 not more than 4 rupees a maund, owing to the anxiety of 

 growers to get rid of their crops picked in November and De- 

 cember on the spot, to avoid the expense and risk of sending 

 them to Madras or to the western coast for shipment. 



Silk. — For this article there is no sale on the Neilgherries. 



Hides. — These are to be obtained, but in limited quantities— Bufftdo hides 

 are sold at 2 rupees each and ox hides at 9 annas. 



