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4th. That the apprentice be taught practically every operation of Horticulture and Agriculture and the Physiological, principles on which these operations depend; as also the rudiments of Botany."

The projected Hill Asylum on the Neilgherries and the barracks at Jackatallah, will probably furnish many promising lads, both European and East Indian; but we may observe that no native boy, who has received a good English education, can be expected, as the educated class of natives will not be found willing to work in gardens. There is a great demand at present for skilled labour in the superintendence of Coffee estates, Nutmeg plantations, and general gardens; and this is a move in the direction of that Agricultural tuition which is alluded to in the Education Dispatch and which is admitted on all hands to be a most important desideratum.

The Royal Botanic Garden at Peradenia, in Ceylon, four miles from Kandy and 1,800 feet above the level of the sea, is now in beautiful order, and the grounds very picturesque, with the river Mahavelliganaga flowing on one side, and mountain scenery of a magnificent character on the other. It is altogether a little paradise, where fine scenery, a lovely climate, Geraniums, Fuchsias, Strawberries, &c. delight and refresh the body and mind, exhausted by the dry heat of Jaffna, or the moist heat of Malabar. The mean temperature of the year is 75°, and the fall of rain about 85 inches. The garden being between 30 and 40 years old, contains some fine well-grown specimens of trees; the fifteen palms of Ceylon are well represented, and there are good examples of Teak, Ficus elastica, &c. Mr. Thwaites, the present able Superintendent, who succeeded the Brazilian traveller, Mr. Gardner, is actively and ably investigating the Flora of the Island, bringing great Botanical acquirements to bear upon the rich materials of the Cinghalese Flora; and from his unremitting labours, which have given him a high position among Indian Botanists, we hope to see great results, if his talents and industry are not the cause of his removal to a higher position elsewhere.

We observe that the Report of the Peradenia garden is very favorable, and that Mr. Thwaites, without neglecting the scientific bearing of the establishment, is judiciously directing a large portion of his time to the introduction, cultivation, and distribution of useful plants, the best West Indian Ginger, various kinds of Cotton, Vanilla, Manilla Hemp, China Grass Cloth, the Argan from Morocco, Shiraz Tobacco, Brazil Wood, and numerous ornamental plants received by monthly intercommunication with the Royal Gardens, Kew, and the Honorable Company's Garden, Calcutta, have been propagated with success and dispersed as multiplied.

With such a system of working, and so valuable a Superinten

dent, the garden cannot fail to be a public service, and to merit the high approval of the Colonial Government.

Knowing well by experience that a well arranged Herbarium is a sine qua non to the systematic Botanist, we are glad to observe that Mr. Thwaites is effectively carrying out the collection of authentic specimens: it would be well for science if the same principle was acted upon, and standards of comparison were located in various parts of India. The Peradenia Herbarium now contains about 3000 species of indigenous plants including Ferns, and we understand that it is Mr. Thwaites' intention to publish a Flora of the Island. He tells us, "Several interesting species have been acquired for the collection in the Botanical excursions made during the past year. The importance of having in this establishment as complete a collection as possible of the plants indigenous to the Island can hardly be overrated. Its utility was shown in my being able a few days ago to identify and give the proper names to a collection of woods about being forwarded to the Paris Exhibition, thus rendering the specimens of far greater value and interest than they would otherwise have possessed." He concludes his Report thus:

"I would take the liberty of strongly urging the establishment and support by the Government of experimental gardens throughout the Island, such as have been commenced at Komegalle and in the Central province at Matelle and Badulla. These gardens, under the charge of the Assistant Agents, might at a very moderate expense of carriage, be supplied with plants, both useful and ornamental, from this establishment, and become the means of introducing amongst the native population new kinds and better varieties of plants and the better systems of cultivation. I have been much gratified by observing amongst many of the native Headmen a good deal of interest exhibited on the subject of the introduction of new plants for cultivation and there can be no doubt that great good would result from as much encouragement as possible being given to this feeling. I may also remark, that I have already seen the good effect of the Horticultural Exhibitions which have been held at Colombo. The bringing together the European and native residents on a subject interesting to both, cannot but result in mutual advantage, whilst either party has so much to learn from the other."

ART. IV.-1. Official Reports on the Province of Kumaon. By J. H. BATTEN, Esq., Commissioner of Kumaon. Agra. 2. Notes of Wanderings in the Himalaya. By PILGRIM, Agra,

1844.

STATISTICS are so exceedingly uninteresting to ordinary folks, that there would be little use, in inviting our readers to accompany us in a journey through those that, from time to time, have issued from the portfolios of the Commissioners of Kumaon and Gurhwal. And yet, embracing as these districts do every variety of climate, from the unhealthy heat of the Terai's dense jungles, up to the as unhealthy cold of the Tartar passes of Mana or Niti; being, as they are, the resort of hundreds and thousands of pilgrims, bent upon visiting the streams of the holiest of rivers, ere it has attained to the dignity of wearing its own sacred name; containing, as they do, objects of extreme interest for every lover of nature's grandest and wildest beauties, or of her quieter and more romantic charms; it would be well nigh impossible, that even a Commissioner's statistics, did they touch on natural productions at all, should be wholly barren of interest. Certainly they are not. Barring the settlement part of the business, there is here and there very agreeable reading. With statistic No. 1 that meets us on opening the volume, we are rather speedily driven to the conclusion, either that the inhabitants of these two districts are not exactly as industrious as they ought to be, or that the country is not very densely populated. Of the nearly eleven thousand square miles, which form Kumaon and Gurhwal, upwards of half that number are incapable of cultivation; whilst of the remainder, all of which might be cultivated, and pay its cultivator well, only half is cultivated at all: i. e. three-fifths of the whole distict is snow, or barren; one-fifth is cultivated; and one-fifth is uncultivated. There is, as every body knows, considerably more difficulty in bringing a hill-side under cultivation, than a level piece of ground. The terraces, which form one of the principal characteristics of the scenery of Kumaon, have to be made with some care, and are a considerable expense at first, as their fronts have to be supported with abutments of stone, and the violent torrents of rain are by no means subservient to the strengthening of these stone edges. Unless the terraces are fairly drained, twenty-four hours of rain may completely upset the labour of many weeks, and, washing down their outer supports, may reduce them again to their original hill-side aspect. These terraces, except when covered

with their green crops, are no great additions to the beauty of the scenery; for beauty of scenery shuns uniformity. But no one can complain of their being the rule in Kumaon scenery. They are, of course, the accompaniments to a village or hamlet: and, as the old lady could not help remarking the wonderful dispensation of Providence, in that rivers invariably ran by large towns, so none can help observing that these terraced slopes hang round their attendant hamlet; giving a sort of civilized aspect to the rude huts, which form the little world of the generations of poor people who have lived in them, many of whom have never seen a wheeled conveyance. Primitive are the habits of such a race; and, if one could but get over their love of dirt, and filth, and unclean insects, they would be by no means a disagreeable people to visit. Honesty and truth, frugality and good humour, are undoubtedly stronger in the aborigines of the Kumaon hills, than in their near neighbours of the plains of Rohilcund. Infinitely more energetic, and active, when they please, their strength is not so exhibited, in sitting still. The hill man is often idle, but-with all respect to Mr. Traill's opinion-rarely indolent. Idle, from not considering he has anything particular to do, rather than because he loves doing nothing. He has more self-respect, is less wont to cringe, is a firmer friend, a more open enemy than his neighbour of the plain. But, it must be confessed he is not sufficiently fond of ablutions, and clean raiment. He holds it neither a morab, nor physical, harm to be dirty. It is no want of self-respect in him to be so; it is his natural, abnormal state.

One cause of this may be, that, till late years, he has been very little civilized by the visits of his more polished brethren of the human race: for, taking Johnson's definition of a road, there are no roads in Kumaon. The highway leading from Nynee Tal to Almorah is universally called a road. But, beyond those metropolitan cities, and in the district generally, there are footpaths, which vary from one to six feet in breadth, and are of every variety and degree of acclivity, from the horizontal to the perpendicular. When approaching the latter, the paths degenerate, or rather are exalted, into steps. The definition of a Kumaon road is, a path where a hill-pony is able to go. When he absolutely refuses to go on any more, as in the case of a flight of steep steps, made of loose stones, it then loses its title to be called a road, and is merely a path, or highway for travellers, who are supposed to be able to get up anything short of a smooth perpendicular wall. Turnpikes, are not yet known in this part of India. Bridges also over the rivers or hill torrents are by no means common. The suspension bridges in the neighbourhood of Almorah have soon to

be exchanged for others, less costly, and a little more dangerous. Mr. Traill describes them as of four kinds.

"The first, consists of a single spar thrown across from bank to bank; the second is formed of successive layers of timbers, the upper gradually projecting beyond the lower from either bank towards each other, in the form of an arch, until the interval in the centre be sufficiently reduced to admit of a single timber being thrown across the upper layers, the ends of the projecting timbers being secured in the stone piers; these bridges, which are called Sangas, are usually from two to three timbers wide, and have sometimes a railing on each side. The third description of bridges, called the Jhúla is constructed of ropes two sets of cables being stretched across the river, and the ends secured in the banks, the road way, consisting of slight ladders of wood, two feet in breadth, is suspended parallel to the cables by ropes of about three feet in length. By this arrangement, the horizontal cables form a balustrade to support the passenger, while reaching from step to step of the ladders. To make the Jhúla practicable for goats and sheep, the interstices of the ladders are sometimes closed up with twigs laid close to each other. A construction of this kind necessarily requires a high bank on both sides; and, where this evident advantage may be wanting, the deficiency of height is supplied by wooden gallows, erected on the two banks over which the ends of the cables are passed. The fourth, and most simple, bridge consists merely of a single cable stretched across the stream, to which is suspended a basket traversing on a wooden ring; the passenger or baggage being placed in this basket, it is drawn across by a man on the opposite side, by means of a rope attached to the bottom : this is termed a Chinka." (p. 5.)

Mr.

We confess to not liking Chinkas. In crossing one, we cannot help thinking of the gentleman, who, whilst descending into a coal-pit in a hutch, most foolishly asked his sable conductor, whether the rope was often changed? "Sometimes, Sir," was the answer, "tis the last time of going down with this one." Moreover the very word Chinka is ominous. Batten tells us it is derived from the Sanscrit ksanika, meaning temporary and the whole style of bridge is a sadly makeshift, transitory, affair, eminently calculated for frightening nervous people out of their wits. A Sanga is any day better than a chinka though, even then it is a trial to know that one has, somehow or other, to get over a platform, of two or three timbers wide, with a roaring torrent some hundred feet below, before there is the least prospect of getting breakfast.

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In few districts of India is caste more zealously observed than in Kumaon. As the high road to the sacred shrine of Buddrinath, perhaps each of the pilgrims have sown by the way side some seeds of religious prejudice. No fowls of the air have carried them away. They have taken root, and borne fruit, and the dark shadow

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