386 



Mr. James Bird on the Country 



[Oct. 



by which it is intended that there shall be sufficient room to allow of 

 the operations of weeding and irrigation being conveniently perform- 

 ed. 



On the trees springing up, some of them are removed ; and in the 

 middle of January, when the remainder have attained a foot or two in 

 height, pan slips are planted near each supporter, and from this date 

 frequent irrigation of the garden becomes necessary. Generally two 

 or more slips are inserted, which, according as they thrive, are after- 

 wards thinned ; while, at the same time, the space of a foot and a half 

 is left betwixt each supporter. 



The remaining operations are training the pan to its supporter, re- 

 newing the red soil, and repeating the manure once a year. 



The expense of making a pan-garden of this kind is estimated from 

 four to five hundred rupees, inclusive of the expense of keeping it up 

 until the second or third year, before which time there is no return. 

 The pan plants are not exhausted before the eighth or ninth year, but 

 are deemed most valuable during the sixth and seventh, the leaves 

 being then in perfection. 



Religion and classes of the inhabitants. — The Brahmans, who are 

 divided into the Konkanist, Deshist, and Karradi sects, form but a small 

 proportion of the inhabitants of the country, and are to be chiefly met 

 with in the neighbourhood of great towns, where they have hereditary 

 right in the soil. They are in great numbers on the banks of the 

 Krishna ; and guided, as would appear, in their choice of settlements, 

 by an idea of comfort, or the hopes of gain, are therefore less numer- 

 ous in the Dekkan division than further south, where a greater field is 

 open to their ambition, from the country being under the protection of 

 men of their own class. Those of the Sudras practising trades, and 

 who are divided into as many tribes as there are arts among them, also 

 bear a very small proportion to the great body of the people, which is 

 composed of common Mahrattas and Lingaiyats. 



The common Mahrattas, who are cultivators, are principally met 

 with extending from the Dekkan as far south as Tasgaon ; and the 

 Lingaiyats inhabit the country from hence to Kittor. The language 

 of the former ceases to be generally spoken after passing Tasgaon ; 

 and the Kanari is then universally used by the lower orders of the 

 people. 



Many of the Lingaiyats are employed in trade, and are, indeed, the 

 principal merchants on the banks of the Krishna. They pretend to 

 high degrees of purity, and carefully abstain from eating fish or flesh— 

 a practice not so religiously observed among the common Mahrattas. 



