'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎281] (414/458)

snsaBoanm^H
RAIN IN SCINDE—JULY AND AUGUST, 1851.
3.—-At the period of its commencement, the harvest of the Rubber
crops in the lower districts had been fortunately completed, and.
the giain garnered, but in the upper, where the season is much later^
a great part of the grain was in the field store-yards whence much
injury resulted, amounting to nearly a fourth of the produce. Much
of the seed for the ensuing Khurreef cultivation has been sown ere
this, but it was soon washed away, replaced and again destroyed
so that as late as the 5th of September the people were reported to be
still ploughing and sowing in places where it was practicable. The
rice crops and fields of Cotton and Indigo were swamped entirely.
The features of the cultivation underwent an entire revolution, for
so much of it as could be raised was with a few local exceptions
effected spontaneously* without the aid of wheels. It w T ould be
imagined that the latter would prove to be rich and full, but on the
contrary, the moisture appears to have been too great for them, for
though the stalks are tall and luxuriant yet there is a complaint
of their possessing little ear. The combined effect of the rain and
flood has been altogether most disastrous to the Khurreef cultivation,
the greater part of which is destroyed, but on the other hand there
are advantages such as have never been before presented for a favour
able Rubbee season* wdiich I hope will counterbalance every loss. A
great extent of land which was saturated is now available, and there is
much contention among the Zemindars for such portions as have been
for many years lying useless. The rain has been of great benefit to
the hilly country on my western frontier, which for the last three or
four years has suffered from drought, so that the different tribes,
frequenting the same were obliged to disperse into the plains, where
they used to occasion much annoyance by their thieving propensities;
they have now returned to the Hills, where they are actively employed
in cultivating, hut at the very commencement their crops were
twice swept away. The Yerow Bund, which has been totally dry
for the last three years, so much so that even drinking water
was not procurable, presents now a surface of water about four square
miles, thereby giving employment to a great number of idle people,
who possessed at best but precarious and doubtful means of subsistence ;
not only these, but, I may add, the whole of the cultivators are begging
for Tuccavee or advances of seed* with the view of enabling them to
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