1849.] Statistics of the Circar of Dowlutahad. 537 



ed out, by the means of a large wooden pestle, crushing the stalks 

 against the sides. The common oil mill of the country is precisely 

 of the same description ; the mill that had superseded this rude 

 machine, has two solid vertical cylinders, made from baubul wood, 

 the heads of which are cut into the shape of endless screws, whose 

 spiral grooves and ridges, four in number, interfold with each other 

 on being put in motion, which is managed by a long horizontal lever 

 fixed to one of the cylinders in its centre, and at either end of which, 

 a pair of bullocks are attached, the height of these rollers is 5 feet, 

 the head of the screw being one-third of the whole : the diameter is 

 2^ feet, below the screw head, the surface is scored with narrow 

 channels forming horizontal rings round each cylinder, which is done 

 to assist in obtaining a firmer hold of the cane, and allowing the ex- 

 pressed juice the better to escape. As it trickles down these crush- 

 ijig rollers, it is received into a shallow gutter surrounding the mill 

 bed, and passes from thence by an under ground channel, into a large 

 receiver made of earthen-ware, sunk into the ground to be ready at 

 hand for the operation of boiling. The apparatus for this purpose is 

 so arranged as to allow the boiler to be on a level with the juice re- 

 ceiver, the fire-place being excavated so as to admit of this adjust- 

 ment. The juice is now boiled rapidly, for four hours and a half, 

 adding nothing to correct acidities and assisting it no further than 

 in skimming off diligently the scum as it rises to the surface, when 

 sufficiently inspissated, it is poured into a shallow circular hollow, 

 formed in the floor of the mill, and stirred and raked about to cool 

 and granulate ; when sufficiently cooled it is poured into holes made 

 in the ground, round the sides of which a coarse cloth has been pass- 

 ed, so that when perfectly hardened, the cloth is pulled up, and the 

 goor detached. These weigh each on an average, about thirty-five 

 seers, and are found more convenient for carriage, than when the in- 

 spissation has not been carried farther than leaving it in the state of 

 fresh honey, as is the case when it is sold as rab; in this state it is 

 poured into large earthen jars holding four maunds, four of which 

 nre a load for one gharree. Though rab is more liable to damage 

 by keeping than goor, and less convenient to transport, yet the Hul- 

 wai prefers it, on account of the difficulty there would be in its adul- 

 teration, whilst goor admits of its qualities being lowered by mixture 

 with impurities. 



