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2 ‘AGRICULTURE.
3 193. The next heading is that of. Agriculture. On this important
4 __ Agri-Hortioultural So-. subject much has been said in the Chapter on
5 sioty.. . Land: Revénve. ’ “The Agri-Horticultural . Society.
6 of the Punjab continues to: flourish, and frequently aids in. obtaining
7 seeds of useful products from Europe. for- distribution among the land-
8 holders.” The: Society -also-’ grows, many ‘such ‘products -in ‘its own |
9 gardens. A scheme for encouraging vegetable cultivation in. the vicinity
10 of large stations. and cantonments is now under consideration. The |
11 Natives of the Punjab have certainly done much for the culture of the
12 potatoe, especially in the hill districts, and this is almost the only
13 Specification of pro- Product really naturalized as-yet. Field turnips are
14 ducts. grown in the Punjab to an extent that is unusual
15 and almost peculiar. If this root should become extensively used to -
16 feed cattle, a great improvement -would. result. Efforts should be
17 directed to the improvement of this product, and’ also to the introduc-
18 tion of mangold wurzel. Grass farms might also be established. In
19 the well-cultivated districts’ the cattlé are fed indifferently and are
20 liable to murrain. Good hemp is grown in parts of the Trans-Sutlej
21 States, In the Southern districts, especially near Mooltan, good indigo
22 is grown. With European skill and enterprise, this product might be
23 vastly improved, both as regards quantity and quality. Sugar-cane in
24 the Punjab is good and is exporte® to Central Asia. Cereals are of
25 course most abundant. Cotton is not likely to prove successful, owing to
26 ' the comparative severity of the winter in these parts. The establishment
27 of model farms was contemplated, but has not yet been effected.
28 194, The chief efforts of the last two years have been directed
29 Flax and linseed ex. towards the cultivation of flax and linseed, that
30 Peumnen i, _ is, the cultivation of the plant which yields the
31 fibre from its stem and alsoe the seed termed linseed. Under any cir-
32 cumstances the plant, if grown at all, will yield linseed, which, though less
33 used in the country, is valuable for exportation. But in order that the
34 plant may yield fibre, it must be carefully cultivated, so that its stem
35 may be long ; in this case, however, it will produce a less amount of seed,
36 because it does not ramify, whereas when the stem is short, there generally
37 is ramification, and a better out-turn of seed. In 1854, the Government, at