^72 Statistical Report on the [No. 35, 



A small quantity of saltpetre is made at Ilunnumcondah and the 

 gunpowder required by the government is made by the saltpetre 

 manufacturers, the charcoal and sulphur being supplied to them. 



Indigo of a very coarse description is manufactured at Hunnum- 

 conda — a specimen forwarded to Calcutta some years ago was pro- 

 nounced by competent authority to be very inferior. Buchanan's ac- 

 count of the manufacture in Mysore tallies with that of the process 

 here — except that the leaves of the Barter ia prio7iitis, and the 

 Wrightia antidysenterica are occasionally added to those of the 

 Indigofera coerutia. The manufacturers are Derzees and other low 

 castes. Sesamum and other oils are expressed by the Tillees — but 

 castor oil is obtained by pounding the seeds and boiling. A coarse 

 kind of wrapping paper is prepared at Mutwarrah, and coarse soap 

 and leather for home use are manufactured. There are a few calico 

 printers at Mutwarrah, who print sarees and handkerchiefs — their 

 dyes are confined to the dingy red of the Indian madder — and the 

 black of the myrobalan ; green and black bangles are also made in 

 the Vizianuggur pergunna. 



The dyes chiefly used in dyeing tusser and cotton are cherrvil 

 and clierrongee roots of the Oldentandia umbettata and the Morin- 

 da tinctoria ground. The dyeing is a very tedious process, occupy- 

 ing from 40 to 50 days — the result is a durable though a dingy red. 

 — but the cJierwil gives a brighter colour than the cherrongee. In 

 dyeing linseed oil is commonly employed, but the oil from the seeds 

 of the cucumber is preferred. 



Iron is manufactured from the oxydulous iron ore already spoken 

 of; the process is the same as that which obtains in other parts of 

 India and has been often described. It is made at Koomarapilly, 

 Erapilly, and Mulkanoor where the ore is found, and in other parts 

 of the Circar at some distance from the iron mine. Two pieces of 

 iron are prepared by each furnace every twenty-four hours of one 

 and a half maunds each, from ten maunds of the ore. A rupee 

 is charged by the miner for five kundies of the ore. 



The privilege of mining being purchased at rupees 12 a year to 

 Government, and rupees 4 to the Zemindar. 



Bell metal is cast into vessels at Mutwarah for home use. 



In my next report I shall mention any circumstances that appear 

 to me worthy of noting respecting this branch of the subject, but it 

 must be confessed that it is an uninviting one. The manufacturers 



