April — juke, 1857.] Observations on Provincial Exhibitions. 67 



be well given for ordinary products carefully harvested, or well 

 cleaned and prepared for market, especially when such are also ar- 

 ticles of export. It is probable that local merchants would at once 

 give a better price for an improved article, though it might be some 

 time perhaps, before they were able to do away with the prejudice 

 against Indian products, because they are usually badly prepared, 

 and themselves be able to reap the benefit of improvement. 



7. The next subject which we may consider as deserving en- 

 couragement, is that of the crops themselves, both in respect of the 

 quantity a3 well as the quality of the several cultivated products. 

 This will, of course, be different in the varying soils and climates of 

 the Presidency. Much may no doubt be done in this direction by 

 the Native cultivators, if they feel inclined, for instance by the se- 

 lection of the best kinds of seed in their own districts, or by inter- 

 changing such with similarly selected seed of other districts, so also 

 by the more careful culture of the soil, eradication of weeds, thin 

 sowing, drill husbandry, rotation of crops and though last, not the 

 least important, by the application of suitable manure. All of these 

 practices, the Natives of some districts at least of India, are well 

 acquainted with, but in the proper use of them few Europeans in 

 India are able to advise, as they have not usually studied or prac- 

 tised Agriculture, and are apt to think that improvement consists 

 in the introduction of European tools and practices into tropical 

 countries ; without in the first instance proving that these are the 

 most eligible. The American planters found the culture of Cotton 

 in the west of India well suited to the plant, the soil, and the 

 climate ; and therefore turned their attention latterly chiefly to the 

 cleaning of cotton. It appears to me that much good would result, 

 if careful enquiries were made respecting the Native mode of cul- 

 tivating different crops, and pointing out such as were most suc- 

 cessful by the results which they produced. 



8. So also with regard to the tools employed by the Natives 

 in their Agriculture. They seem rude, but they are cheap. The 

 chief enquiry should be, are they effectual for the purposes for 

 which they are employed. Thus the Collector of Cuddapah says, 

 that the Agricultural implements in common use in the district, 



