134 
CULTURE OF PEPPER IN THE CIRCARS. 
ART. XXXI.— SELECTIONS FROM ROYLE'S productive 
RESOURCES OF INDIA. 
CULTURE OF PEPPER IN THE CIRCARS. 
The desire of Dr. Roxburgh to make his scientific disco- 
veries tend to practical purposes is conspicuous in his endea- 
vors to cultivate Pepper in the Circars, and in the number of 
useful plants which he introduced into the Company's Pepper 
plantations established at his recommendation in the neighbor- 
hood of Samulcottah. As the origin and progress of this at- 
tempt at a new culture are productive of some useful lessons, 
we may enter a little more into detail than would otherwise 
be necessary. 
Dr. Roxburgh himself states in a letter, dated Samulcottah, 
25th August, 1788, — " Since the end of 1781, I have been 
stationed here, and as soon as I became a little acquainted 
with the Seasons, Soil, and Produce of the country hereabouts, 
I formed an idea that Pepper and Coffee would thrive as well 
in this Circar as in any part of Asia; my natural turn for Bo- 
tany, Agriculture, and Meteorological observations, enabled 
me to form the idea upon pretty certain grounds." But, on 
the 25th April, 1786, he had written, " I have the pleasure to 
inform you, that since my return I have, for the first time, 
discovered that Black Pepper is found growing wild in some 
parts of the hills to the north-west of this; the natives of these 
hills bring small quantities frequently down to the plains to 
sell." Mr. Ross, in a letter to Sir A. Campbell, Governor of 
Madras, in reference to some samples of this pepper sent by 
Dr. Roxburgh, and which the latter described as equal to, if 
not better, than the best Malabar or Ceylon pepper, says, that 
" on comparing it with the pepper from the Malabar coast, 
which is here in the shops for sale, the shopkeepers say that 
the former is at least ten per cent, better in quality." Mr. 
Ross further writes (13th Aug., 1786,) " The most particular 
orders were given in time to the Chief and Council of Ma- 
sulipatam, to furnish Dr. Roxburgh with all the necessary dis- 
