MI'SORE DISTRICT. I19 Ibs. ; estimated value of the yield, £50. The cultivation of mulberry also has greatly fallen off, owing to the persistent mortality among the silkworms. Out of a total area of 2980 square miles, 1096 square miles are returned as under cultivation; 164 square miles as cultivable waste; and 1720 square miles as uncultivable waste. The following statistics are from returns made in 1880-81, the year before the rendition of the State: --- Area under rice, 61,119 acres; wheat, 6796; other food-grains, 568,455; oil-seeds, 36,221 ; vegetables, 4497 ; cocoa-nut and arecanut, 13,947; cotton, 1732 ; sugar-cane, 241; and mulberry, 3241. The corresponding figures for 1884 show a considerable increase in cultivation. In that year, rice occupied (approximately) 102,015 acres; wheat, 10,373 acres; other food - grains, 875,618 acres ; cotton, 711 acres; coffee, 153 acres; and sugar-cane, 260 acres. The average rent per acre for rice land in 1880-81 was gs. 3d. ; for wheat land, ss. 4d. ; for land producing inferior grains, 5s. fd.; for land producing cotton, oil-seeds, and fibres, 5s. 4d.; for sugar-cane land, gs. td.; and for tobacco land, 5s. 4d. The average produce of an acre of rice land is 1393 lbs.; of wheat lands, 574 lbs.; of land producing inferior grains, 820 lbs.; of cotton lands, 984 lbs. ; of oilseed lands, 820 lbs. ; of sugar-cane lands, 1125 lbs.; and of tobacco lands, 840 lbs. Current prices in 1880 per maund of 8o lbs. were as follows—for rice, 6s. ; wheat, 45. rod.; cotton, £2; sugar, £1, IIS. 2}d. ; salt, gs. iod. ; gram, froni 3s. 7d. to 6s. id. ; rugi, 2s. 5d. ; dil, 7s. 7d. ; tobacco, £3, 75. 4d. ; unrefined sugar, 135. 4d. ; and ghi, the Indian substitute for butter, lard, etc., £2, 155. 8d. A plough bullock costs £2, a sheep 7s. 3}d. Iron sells at 13s. per 80 lbs., and silk at 175. 6d. the lb. Skilled labour costs is. 6d. a day, and unskilled is. The hire of a cart is is. 6d. a day, of a donkey 6d., and of a boat 2s. The agricultural stock is returned at 6488 carts, 93,587 ploughs, and 49 boats. Irrigation is industriously practised wherever practicable, by means of artificial channels drawn off by anicuts, or dams, from the large rivers. On the Káveri there are 9 of these anicuts, besides 7 on the Lakshmantírtha, and 5 on other streams. The total length of channels is 497 miles, watering an area that yields a revenue of £27,500. The total number of tanks is 1978. Owing to the fertility of the soil, manure is less necessary than in other Districts. The common cattle of Mysore are of a poor description, but there are two or three famous breeds. Forenost among these is the amrita mahúl, which is said to have been selected by Haidar Alí for military purposes, and is still carefully maintained by the State. The characteristics of this breed are size, endurance, speed, soundness of feet, and a light colour. Two other local breeds, differing from the amrita mahal chiefly by the
