3/8 



Mr. James Bird on the Country 



[Oct. 



according as it contains a less or greater proportion of chuna. The 

 substratum of the former is trap in a state of decomposition; and of 

 the other, trap with beds of chuna. 



The first differs but little from the soil of Gujarat, called by Mr. 

 Marshall kali-bhui, of the lower level. It is adhesive and cracks by- 

 drying; but, if irrigated, may be cultivated with chuplagheon.* 



W hen the field is ziraut, or dry land, " harbarri jundla"f and 

 shetgheon,J may be raised during the cold weather on this kind of 

 soil; but bajri is its most common produce, which comes to perfection 

 in the rainy season. The other kinds are usually cultivated with 

 kardu|| and karli.§ 



The neighbourhood of this town presents extensive fields of good 

 black soil in a waste state, which have not been cultivated on account 

 of the almost total absence of rain during the last two seasons. The 

 fields on the east side only were in use, as abundance of means from 

 nullas and wells exists there for irrigation. 



Parts of the country comprehended in the second division are 

 equally barren as those that have been described in the first; but the 

 rich and beautiful fields on the banks of the Krishna, amply compen- 

 sate for the few miserable villages and unproductive lands which we 

 meet with near the Yerla river. 



Among the latter the village of Aundhli was the most poor and 

 desolate. The soil, which is here very sandy, rests on a bed of gravel, 

 and produces nothing without the assistance of a plentiful monsoon ; 

 from the failure of which, last season, an almost total absence of 

 vegetation became the natural consequence, and the inhabitants, with 

 the exception of a few, had deserted the village. 



The distinctions of the soil known at this place are " changli kali 

 zamin," or pure black earth, which is a tolerably rich black mould 

 from three to four feet deep, resting on another of a grey colour, 

 which contains much chuna. It is divided into the dry and garden 

 lands; but of the latter there are very few near Aundhli, and these 

 are usually assessed at twelve rupees per bigah. The next kind of 

 soil is that known by the name of " marut," which is a black earth 

 of a reddish tinge resting on gravel, and is usually two feet deep. 

 This is generally cultivated with sealu,^" and is taxed from six rupees 

 and a quarter to seven and a half. The last of the soils is " karrak," 

 which, like the former, rests on a bed of gravel, but is seldom more 



* Triticum monocum. 

 X Triticum spelta. 

 \ Verbesina sativa. 



i- Cicer arictinum. 

 || Carthanus Persicus. 

 IT Holcus saccharatus. 



