70 Observations on Provincial Exhibitions, [no. 3, new series, 



" raised in a few villages on the coast to supply the fishermen with 

 " nets, it would become one of our staple products. Almost all 

 *' the land fiat enough for rice fields has been taken up, but we 

 " have many thousands of acres of land of the same quality as 

 " that upon which the Sunn is growing, lying unoccupied." Coll. 

 p. 156. He adds we have lately had an instance in the case of 

 Fish-Oil, and the neighbouring country affords one in that of 

 Coffee, that a brisk steady demand is all that is wanted to intro- 

 duce a new article of commerce. Coll. p. 182. So the Collector of 

 S. Arcot writes " a few years ago the ground-nut called Manilla 

 " Kotay (Arachis hypogcea) was unknown hereabouts, but no 

 " sooner was a remunerative price offered on the spot by a Mer- 

 " chant of Cuddalore for such produce, than it was extensively 

 " cultivated, and the oil from it largely exported." Coll. p. 110. 

 Hence it is evident that in proposing to the Natives to grow new 

 products for foreign Markets, it is not enough that these are valu- 

 able and in demand in such Markets, but we must take care that 

 there are local Merchants who will at once take them off the 

 hands of the Native Cultivators. 



12. The same observations will apply, but in a still greater de- 

 gree, if we wish them to cultivate articles, not known in European 

 Markets ; that is, such as are possessed of valuable properties and 

 which might become important articles of commerce, from being 

 likely to be useful in many established Manufactures, for instance 

 a new dye, an oil seed or a fibre, as all such are- in constant de- 

 mand and would be readily employed by some Manufacturers. 

 But if sent into an English Market with only their Indian names, 

 and some account of their properties, they would be pronounced 

 to be of " no value" because " unknown in the Market." In such 

 cases, the substances which have most chance of being employed, 

 are those which are most like in properties to others which are al- 

 ready in use ; and for which they might be employed as substi- 

 tutes, especially if they can be sold at a cheaper rate, and are 

 likely to be supplied in large quantities. Some articles which 

 have long been known experimentally would at once be employed 

 by Manufacturers if there was any assurance of a regular supply, 



