226 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
talariajun 
cea, 
CHAPTER, required intensity. The solution of indigo is kept for a month, and 
every night a little lime water is added ; this enables it to give some 
June 22, &c. more colour, which next day is again exhausted by dyeing some 
more cotton. The colour given by one dip is called Mam, and is a 
sky blue; that which is given by five dips in a strong pot, is of an 
intense colour nearly approaching to black, and is in fact called 
black by the natives, among whom it is in great esteem. 
From the weavers, the Niligaru receive cotton, and silk thread 
dyed yellow with turmeric, and return it to them of a green colour, 
which it obtains by a dip in a weak pot. 
Indian hemp, At Bangalore , as well as in alt the neighbouring country, Goni is 
Goni, or Cro- a considerable article of manufacture. It is a coarse, but very 
talari n van- y 
strong sack-cloth, from 18 to £2 cubits in length, and from \ to -f- 
of a cubit broad ; and is made from the Janupa, or Crotalariajuncea. 
It is divided into three kinds, which differ in value according to 
their strength, and to the closeness of the fabric. The same people, 
who are a particular cast of men, cultivate the plant, and carry 
on the manufacture, until the Goni be fit for sale; the price of the 
hemp cannot therefore be ascertained, as it is not sold in that state. 
The Goni-maker hires from some farmer as much high ground as he 
thinks will raise a quantity of Janupa sufficient to employ his family 
to manufacture in one year. The soil ought to be red or black, 
like the best kinds used for the cultivation of Ragy . It is allowed 
no manure ; and the seed is sown broad-cast on the ground, without 
any previous cultivation, at the season when the rains become what 
the natives call male, that is to say, when they become heavy. 
After being sown, the field is ploughed twice, once lengthwise, and 
once across ; but receives no farther cultivation. At other times the 
Janupa is cultivated on rice-ground in the dry season; but it must 
then be watered from a canal, or reservoir. It requires four months 
to ripen, which is known by the seed having come to full matu- 
rity. After being cut down, it is spre ad out to the sun, and dried. 
The seed is then beaten out bystrikii the pods with a stick. After 
