was grown in Behar in his time, "it was not generally thought as profitable as other crops."

TIRHOOT.

This district lies north of the Ganges and stretches thence to the Nepal Terai: much of its area is stated to be subject to annual inundation: a great part of it is formed of the undulating ground of the old alluvium, and the whole is generally asserted to be of great fertility the district likewise possesses considerable facilities of water-carriage, and many good roads exist: facilities for irrigation are also said to abound in many parts of Tirhoot.

In 1790 the Commercial Resident stated that the annual Cotton crop was estimated at 1,300 mans: it consisted of five distinct varieties, for some of which the very best land in the district was required: and he asserts that there was a general impression that other crops gave less trouble, and were more remunerative. There was no export.

In 1833 Colonel Hamilton tried Sea Island seed in Tirhoot: he sowed in a rich, moist soil: the plants yielded well, and after being pruned, bore again," which no indigenous Cotton does": he thought that the quality of this second crop was not so good as that of the first, and did not believe that this Cotton could be made to yield a profit: nor did he think that any Cotton would ever be a successfui crop in Tirhoot. Some Cotton was grown in almost every part of the district, but only for local use, and considerable quantities were imported from Mirzapore.

In 1844, a sample of Upland Georgia Cotton, grown in Tirhoot from American seed, was submitted to Mr. Willis of Calcutta: he considered it very inferior to Cotton of that kind as grown in America, but decidedly better than the best of the produce of Bundelkhund and the North-West Provinces: the specimen had been slightly soiled, and was valued at 42 to 5d. per 1ს.

K

In 1848 the Revenue Officers state that there were supposed to be then 5,000 bigas under Cotton in Tirhoot, and extension was not thought possible, inasmuch as the natural conditions were not generally favorable to the crop the average yield per rather high, and the average price of the Mirzapore Cotton was 3d. per lb.

acre was

In 1861, the Collector states that Cotton is grown in Tirhoot only in small quantities, and exclusively for local consumption: the cultivators of "high irrigated lands" in parts of the district produce a little for their own use: no export trade exists, and no one occupies himself with the crop with a view to the market: no prejudice is, however, believed to exist against it, and he thinks that if a price were offered, which would render it remunerative, Cotton might be largely introduced.

SARUN.

CHUMPARUN.

Of the Cotton-producing capabilities of these districts still less is known than of Tirhoot, and I have not found any experiment described as having been made in either with exotic Cotton seed. In physical character they closely resemble Tirhoot, and their soils, &c., must be very much of the same general description.

They possess, however, still greater advantages than Tirhoot in the important matter of water-carriage: having very great lengths of river frontage along the Gunduk, the Gogra, and the Ganges itself.

Moreover, the northern portions of both are stated to offer very great facilities for irrigation, and the soils of the old alluvium of which their surface, for the most part, consists, are stated to be of extreme fertility.

In 1790 two kinds of Cotton were known in these districts, and in Sarun (no mention is made of Chumparun by the Commercial Resident)

5,000 mans were annually grown; the crop was not, however, in favor, and no export took place.

In 1848 Chumparun was declared by the Collector to grow no Cotton, and no reply was given to any of the six questions relating to the Cotton crop and Cotton trade: Sarun was stated to grow very little, and no estimate of the area under cultivation was offered: the yield per acre is high: the average price of the imported Cotton is given at 2.75d. per lb.

In 1857 the Collector of Sarun reported that "the Cotton plant is "cultivated in this district on soils called dorus, or argillaceous loam, "mixed with sand, and easily pulverised by being heated, and possess❝ing a sufficient degree of natural moisture." No irrigation is employed: the cultivation is described as very careless, the interests of the Cotton plant being confessedly sacrificed to that of other kinds of produce as Indian corn and oilseeds, along with which it is sown the sowing takes place in May and June; the crop is twice weeded; picking is completed in March and April; the stalks are used for fuel; the only danger feared is that arising from high winds during the flower season: no estimate of yield per acre, or per hand employed, is possible.

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In 1861 the quantity of Cotton produced in these districts is stated by the Collectors to be quite inadequate to supply their requirements, and that a considerable import takes place the crop is considered a very troublesome one, and not particularly remunerative but it is believed that no special difficulty would be found in extending the cultivation, were it thought to be a profitable

one.

The Collector of Chumparun states that the lands best suited to the growth of Cotton are situated in the north and north-west of his district, and he thinks that "any quantity might be grown in the valleys and low lands adjoining the Terai."

BHAUGULPORE DIVISON.

Districts.

MONGHYR.

PURNEAH.

This division, like Patna, includes a great stretch of country from the foot of the Himalaya to the Ganges; and south of the river, it comprises both the alluvial flat and a part of the upland country beyond. Much of that portion of the division lying north of the Ganges is formed of the old alluvium, but considerable areas are stated to be subject to annual inundation.

BHAUGULPORE.

SONTAL PERGUNNAHS.

In 1848 the Commissioner stated that "the districts comprised in "his division are not suited to the growth of Cotton, but that no infor"mation of much value can be obtained on the subject." The average price of the Mirzapore Cotton was then about 4d. per lb. within the division: the average yield per acre is stated at 160 lbs. The people, it was thought, would not readily abandon the cultivation of opium, indigo, or other crops which are found remunerative, for Cotton, which is held in doubtful repute. The latter cultivation was estimated at 6,000 acres for the whole division.

In 1861 the Commissioner saw no chance of a rapid increase of the Cotton cultivation carried on in the division: but he thought that for many parts of it at least, the people only waited to be convinced that it would pay better or even as well as other things, in order to sow it largely, and that if a constant demand existed in a market near at hand, the cultivation would soon spread.

MONGHYR.

That portion of this district which lies south of the Ganges belongs to the upland area, with the exception of a small tract of very rich alluvial soil, spreading round the base of the hills which are touched by the Ganges, at the spot where the city of Monghyr is built. North of the river there is a wide tract of country subject to annual inundation,

and all that part of the Monghyr district which lies on that side of the Ganges belongs to the alluvium.

Of the upland portion of the district I nowhere have found any mention: it is for the most part covered with jungle, and does not, I believe, contain much really fertile land, save here and there a small patch among the gorges of the Kurrukpore Hills.

In 1848 the Collector states, with regard to the rich lands above mentioned, lying south of the river, that a system of advances might stimulate the cultivation of Cotton, but that he believed the poppy would generally be prefered, and that the extent to which it is now cultivated in that part of the country, would materially interfere with any great extension of the Cotton crop.

The existing Cotton cultivation was almost confined to the lands north of the Ganges: the seed was sown on ground annually flooded, and the culture was most careless: other seed was sown along with the Cotton, by whose presence the latter was stunted: the yield of the Cotton, taken in this way along with other things, was estimated at 56 lbs. per acre: no disease was known to affect the plant, nor did insects attack it: still in spite of the little care which was bestowed on its cultivation, the expenses were supposed to exceed the value of the produce, and the crop was believed to be seldom profitable.

The aggregate area under this crop was estimated at 2,000 bigas, and the price of the Mirzapore Cotton was 3.5d. per lb. at Monghyr. In 1861 the Commissioner states that "the intervention of Govern"ment is considered necessary for the encouragement of the cultivation," probably alluding to the system of advances above adverted to, as likely to bring Cotton into competition with the opium cultivation.

PURNEAH.

This district lies exclusively on the north side of the Ganges, stretching from the river up to the Darjeeling Terai and the Morung in its southern part it includes a eonsiderable tract of the delta alluvium,

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