Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 172

158
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
| AUGUST, 1932
Buffalo-bulls
cows , calves (bull) , (cow)
.. ..
28 24
.. ..
..
..
15
TOTAL .. 1,033
the above being exclusive of 210 head of cattle owned by self-supporter convicts. (d) The manufacture or sale of the following for consumption at Port Blair or for local nuse
Rs. Cocoanut oil (about 720,000 lbs.) ..
1,20,000 Curds, milk and butter
28,500 Lime .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
20,000 Bricks .. .. ..
2,500 also procuring and preparing such quantities of jungle material, coral blocks, etc.,
as were required for local works. (6) Girdling a few thousand timber trees (chiefly Mimusope, Albizzia, Mangifera and
Hydrocarpus species), and maintaining a sawpit station for the supply of plank.
ing, scantling, etc., for works in progress and for sale. WATER-SUPPLY.-From the number of wells and tanks mentioned in the foregoing as provided for the wants of the station, it will be rightly assumed that the supply of water was abundant during the raine and adequate during the dry months. As its quality was not above suspicion, the precaution was taken to boil and filter all that was intended for drinking purposes. The large quantity of water stored in the reservoir and wells near the jetty would have proved for many years to come a great convenience to vessels requiring a supply while trading there or in passing through the harbour. The average annual rainfall, as ascertained from the registers of fifteen consecutive years (1873 to 1887), was found to amount to 112-23 inches.
CHARACTER OF THE SOIL AND CULTIVATION.-The result of the experience gained by us as regards the capabilities of the soil for purposes of cultivation may be briefly stated to be as follows That only in such portions of the undulating grass heaths as lie in deep valleys and ravines could cultivation be carried on for more than one or at most two seasons without freo application of manure, while on the high grass lands, there being only a thin layer of black mould covering the polycistina clay, any attempt to remove the grass in order to prepare the soil for cultivation suffices to diminish the small amount of fertility in land so unfavourably situated by exposing the topmost layer to the effects of the heavy rains of these latitudes, which of course speedily cause it to be washed down the nearest slopes. As regards the jungle land, our experience corresponded with that gained respecting similar land at Port Blair, and there can be no doubt of the success which would reward intelligent agriculturists to whom a tract of such land was allotted. Besides of course raising ordinary Indian vegetables and fruits for local consumption, experiments were made in cultivating American cotton and tobacco. Between 1870 and 1873 about 20 acres were planted with the former; although there was at first a rich promise of success, the staple produced being most favourably reported on, both as regards quality and quantity, various circumstances combined to disappoint the hopes that had been raised. The drought of the dry months proved as injurious as the heavy rains and violent squalls of the South-West Monsoon, while additional loss was occasioned by the ravages of a red beetle, which was apparently introduced with the seed received from America. In consequence of this, though the soil seemed peculiarly favourable for the cultivation of this valuable plant, the experiment had to be reluctantly abandoned. The tobacco experiments were conducted on a smaller scale and over a like brief period. They suffioed to show that tobacco of good quality could be raised, although, in consequence of indifferent curing, the value of what was produced was small.
(To be continued.)