Abstract

The Nilgiri district in the Madras State lies between latitude 11°-7' and 11°-40'N and longitude 76°-15" and 77° and has an area of 989 squire miles. It is bounded on the north and south by the rivers Moyar and Bhavani and by Coimbatore district on the east and Malabar-Wynaad on the west. The whole of the district has a very undulating topography with mostly very steep and long slope and was once covered with dense vegetation such as forest, grasses, bushes, etc. But the introduction of potato during the latter part of 19th century and leasing of Government lands for its cutivation led to extensive clearance of these areas. During the grow more food campagin, a large extent. was still further brought under potato cultivation through the extensive destruction of the protective cover. During the last 40 years the area brought under cultivation has practically doubled. At present more than 1,20,000 acres are being cultivated with semi-permanent and annual crops.

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