in moft places there are herds the property of the Paifhwah. The principal men alfo have all herds of horfes on their respective jageers, and inlift horsemen, who ferve on them in time of war, of whom the bodies of horse called Bargeer are compofed. Accompanied by these the chiefs offer their fervices to government; and each of them has from a thousand to two thousand horfes of his own. In a word, ftout men and good horíes are the chief boaft of this country: befides thefe it has little to fhow but rocky hills and fiony ground. The foil, indeed, in fome places, is black, which creates an exceffive quantity of mud in the rainy feafon, and the roads at that time are rendered alfo in moft parts impaffable by the torrents that come down from the hills. The city of Poonah has nothing extraordinary to recommend it: it is about three or four cofs in circuit; but there are no gardens to be seen here like thofe of Bengal or Benares *, and the houfes of the principal people are like the houses of Mahaujins.-Few of them have any extent either of building or of ground, and fewer ftill are adorned with courts, parterres, rivulets, or fountains. The inhabitants are, nevertheless, most of them wealthyy and merchants, and the best part of the offices and employments are held by Brahmans. As to beauty and complexion, the people of this country resemble thofe of Punjaub+; few are to be feen of a very dark colour. The women of all ranks, both rich and poor, go unveiled; and those of diftinction go in palankeens without curtains. The wives of foldiers ride about on horfeback. Curtain felling is very common in this country. Many Brahmans || fell their own daughters, and girls that they have brought up, for a great price. long as they have no immediate occafion for them. But those that are the property of the Paithwah are called, as well as the places where they are kept, Paugah. There are, it seems, a few gardens to the caft and to the fouth of Poonah. Among the latter, that of Mooroophernevees is the best; but even that has few or none of the ornaments here inentioned. On the north and weft of the city runs a small river called the Moolamootha, but it is full of rocks, and not navigable. Narrâyen Row began to build a bridge over this river, which was intended to be open during the rains, and thut during the hot months, in order to preferve the water for the ufe of the town; but he was killed before it was finished, and it has not fince been carried on. This idea was fuggefted by a dreadful season of drought, which happened under his reign, during which a cudgeree pot of water was at one time fold in Poonah for half a rupee. This exceffive fcarcity, however, did not continue above ten or fifteen days. From other accounts it should appear, that the people of Punjaub are of a very different feature and make from the Marrattas; and that there are more people of a dark colour among the latter than would be understood from this defcription of them. By this he means prostitution. A Marratta Brahman to whom this was read difcovered great indignation at this affertion, and denied that they ever fell their own daughters, or bring up girls for fale, though he acknowledged it was not unusual among the inferior cafts. Other Other cafts*, befides Brahmans, bring up fowls in their houses, and cat the eggs; but the Brahmans cat neither flesh nor fish. Cows are not allowed to be killed in any of the countries depen dent on the Marrattas. Muffulmans are here but few in number, and the influence of Iflam at a low ebb.-But idolatry flourishes, and here are idol temples in abundance. The fact is, that not only the Brahmans abstain from fish and flesh, but all the different divifions of the Vies, or Banian caft, are equally abstemious, while the Chettri and Sudder indulge in both. USEFUL USEFUL PROJECTS. The following Experiments on the Culture of Turneps, and a Receipt for preferving the Turnep Seed from being deftroyed by the Fly, is taken from a Letter of Mr. Winter's, of Charlton, near Briftol, addreffed to the Society inftituted at London for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.-From Vol. 5th of the Tranfactions of that Society. "SIR, "TH HE very numerous experiments I have repeatedly made, more particularly this fummer, on turnep-feed, to prevent being deftroyed by the fly, enables me to fend you my firft account and recipe, for the most effectual prefervation of that excellent vegetable. My turneps have already been infpected by many gentlemen in this neighbourhood: fhould a member of your fociety live near this place, he may examine my numerous experiments, which, if your fociety will deem worthy their perufal, will fend you an account of the whole, with the particulars of my obfervations on each. As I have been credibly informed, that turneps have this feafon been fowed three times on the fame ground, as the season is so far ad Your most obedient humble fervant, GEORGE WInter. Mr. MORE. Charlton, near Bristol, P. S. Steep turnep-feed, twentyfour hours or more, in fufficient quantity of train oil. Take a fine fieve, or linen bag, drain the oil from the feed, which mix with a quantity of good earth finely fifted, immediately drill or fow. When the plants begin to appear on the furface, let the ground be fowed with foot, from eight to fixteen bushels per acre. N. B. Linfeed, or other good vegetable oil, is equally as efficacious, and by draining the oil, a fmall quantity will be effectual for a large quantity of feed-the remainder will ferve for common use, fuch as for harness, &c. This mode is equally beneficial for every kind of grain, or feed fown in the garden. Time will not permit me at prefent to ftate my philofophical reasons on the fubject." Experiments Stake N° 10 II 12 14 15 16 17 Gunpowder pounded. Brimftone. Slaked lime. 13 Seed fteeped fix hours in foot, and a quarter of an ounce of linfeed oil, mixed with a pint of fifted mould. Soaper's ashes, and ditto. Wood afhes. Gunpowder pounded. Brimiftone. 18 Slaked lime. 19 Seed mixed with brimftone, and faltpetre pounded, mixed with a pint of fifted mould. 20 Seed fteeped fix hours with ditto, and a quarter of an ounce of linfeed oil, ditto. 21 Seed steeped fix hours with ditto, ditto train oil ditto. injury was done to N° 30, 29, 24, and 23, which grew fo luxuriant, as to produce rough leaves feveral days prior to the moft flourishing of any other number, and enabled them the fooner and better to withftand the fly's attack.-The linfeed oil was the fame as that ufed in the firft experiment-Its effects were inferior to train oil, which I must impute to the drying properties of the turpentine. The leaves of the feeds fteeped in oil were of a much darker green, and appeared twice as thick in bulk and luxuriancy, and the plants were a confiderable deal larger than any of the other numbers-In point of luxuriancy, &c. they ftand as under. N° 33, 29: 1ft beft. Longest before, and least touched with the fly, which in fome degree impute to the foot's being scattered over the beds. 24, 23-2nd best. 22 Seed steeped fix hours with 3, 5, 11, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27—4th brimftone, and barton draining, mixed with best. 7. 13, 19-5th best. All the others far inferior to even N° 5." Some Account of the Racine de Difette, or Root of Scarcity, of its Utility, and the Mode of treating it; from a Letter of Thomas Boothby Parkyns, fq. addreffed to the Secretary of the above-n e-mentioned Society. Erom the fame Work. " SIR, HAVE this inftant received Sir Richard Jebb's letter concerning the Racine de Difette, and fend in confequence a parcel of the feed, which the fociety will honour me by accepting.-I am obliged to fend |