s of enormous importance in such a climate as
Mysore, which is liable to suffer so often from prolonged droughts, and as
it is quite a common thing to have five months without a drop of rain, and
also during part of that time to have either dry winds or hot desiccating
blasts of air coming in from the heated plains of the interior, it can
easily be understood that in valuing lands, much consequence should be
attached to forest which contains a large proportion of north and
north-western aspects. As to the relative value of the various aspects I
have fully treated the subject in my remarks on shade, and I must leave it
to the personal experience of planters to determine how much more value
they would attach to land mainly facing north and north-west as compared
with land facing mainly south and south-west. For myself I should
consider that the former was at least ten per cent. more valuable than the
latter; and that the relative value of the other aspects should be
carefully weighed before coming to an opinion as to the price that should
be given for forest land.

In the valuation of land the next thing we have to consider is the
steepness of the gradients on it. Now after having had much experience of
steep land, land on moderate slopes, and land which might almost be called
flat, I have no hesitation in giving a decided preference to the
moderately sloping land. I object to the steep land, because it is
troublesome to work and manure, and because the ridges on it are sure to
be poor; and to the flat land, because the soil is apt to become sodden in
our heavy monsoons, and because it is soon apt to harden, and thus is
troublesome to work. In my opinion, the highest value ought to be attached
to the moderately sloping lands, less value to the flat, or nearly flat
lands, and less still to steep lands.

As regards the kinds of soil suitable for coffee, there are points on
which some difference of opinion exists. All however are, I think, agreed
in thinking that the most desirable soils are those of dark chocolate
colour, considerable depth, and of easily workable character--what would
be described in England as a rather heavy loamy soil. Then, and sometimes
touching these soils, there are soils of decidedly whitish appearance,
against which a general prejudice exists; but though some of these soils
are light and of inferior character, others are capable of growing coffee
quite as well as the best of the chocolate soils. Oc