onti," it is a mere chimera, like the many others with which
the planters have hitherto deluded themselves, and which it only
requires a little reflection to overthrow. A biggah may be cut here
and there, on an extensive cultivation, but it can never be relied
upon as forming a part of the cultivation.

The uncertainty of the indigo crop has been already noticed, and is,
indeed, as proverbial as that from the hop plant in England. In
Bengal the crop is particularly subject to be destroyed by the
annual inundation of the river, if it occurs earlier than usual. A
storm of wind, accompanied by rain and hail, as completely ruins the
crop as if devoured by the locust; neither from this latter scourge
is the crop exempt.

This proneness to injury extends throughout its growth. The
seedlings are liable to be destroyed by an insect closely resembling
the turnip-fly, as well as by the frog. Caterpillars feed upon the
leaves of older plants, and the white ant destroys them by consuming
their roots. To these destructive visitations are to be added the
more than ordinary liability of the plant to injury, not merely from
atmospheric commotions, but even from apparently less inimical
visitations. Thus not only do storms of wind, heavy rains, and hail,
destroy the indigo planter's prospects, but even sunshine, if it
pours out fervently after showers of rain, is apt, as it is properly
termed, to _scorch_ the plants; and if it occurs during the first
month of their growth, is most injurious to their future advance.
The reason of this effect appears to be the violent change from a
state of imbibing to a rapid transpiration of moisture. No human
invention or foresight can preserve the crop from the atmospheric
visitations. To destroy and drive away the little coleopterous
insects which attack the seedlings, it would be a successful method
to spread dry grass, &c., over the surface intended to be
cultivated, and to burn the litter immediately before the sowing.
The heat and smoke produced has been found perfectly efficacious
against the turnip-fly in England. To destroy the caterpillar,
slacked lime dusted over the leaves, while the dew is upon them, is
an effectual application. The white ants may be driven away or
destroyed by frequent hoeings, which is the best preventive of the
scorching, for h