1849.] Statistics of ike Circar of Dowhdahad. 505 



the remarkable fertility of certain trap soils, which are said to pos 

 sess the power of raising wheat, the most exhausting crop that grows, 

 for thirty years without a fallow recruiting its last energies by the 

 restoration of these salts during the rains ; and in some countries, 

 I believe in the Azores, the most luxuriant crops are raised, with 

 no other manure than that afforded by pounded trap rocks, strewn 

 over the land. These rocks, if examined into, will be found to pro- 

 duce abundant materials for a soil when reduced by the action of the 

 air. For instance, in felspar we shall obtain potash, alumina, si- 

 lica, and lime. In hornblende, magnesia and iron ; the zeolitic mi- 

 nerals are composed of silica, alumina, lime, soda and iron ; and 

 in chalcedony, silica and alumina ; whilst in quartz we find silica in 

 a pure state, and in jasper mixed with iron. Here tbere are ma- 

 terials for a soil highly favorable to vegetable life, which are broughi 

 into active operation by the rains, and unlike the evanescent charac- 

 ter of soils enriched solely by vegetable matter, are permanent in 

 effect. The usual practice is not to manure any crops but sugar- 

 cane, poppy, and pan ; the source from whence this is derived is 

 the village mixen, and occasionally folding cattle. A very valuable 

 manure for cane lands lies totally neglected in the heaps of cane 

 ashes besides the sugar mill, and are not deemed sufficiently worth re- 

 turning again upon the land, which, were it done, abounding as they 

 do in silicates, could not but prove highly useful to the plant, which, 

 it is well known, particularly needs these supplies. Green manures 

 are occasionally applied to worn out soils. The green stalks and 

 leaves of the tobacco plant are always ploughed into the land 

 after the crop is pulled. Nothing can be more injurious and unfair 

 towards the soil, than the pernicious custom of converting the ex- 

 crement of the cow into fuel. 



The cultivator divides the year into three seasons. The toossur, 

 I when green crops ripen in the rains ; the khureef, ripening in Oc 

 I tober ; and the rubhee, ripening in February, he commences his year 

 J with chytra shood in April, and at the dewallee considers the rainy 

 months over and the dry season commenced. The Koonbee is well 

 acquainted with the important fact that crops of opposite natures 

 succeed each other with better success, than such as are of similar 

 kinds, and has long put the principle in force. Oil plants as kuU 

 dee or karleh, are generally first sown, and then followed by wheat, 

 jowarree or bajree. The Indian mode of mixing, cleaning, and 



