218
I know of no cases of insanity.
46. Physical.-Excessive use impairs the con-
stitution, increases the tile, and weakens the
nerves.
Mental.-May produce insanity; deadens the
intellect.
Morale-Becomes impotent.
47 to 50. No.
51. Ganja has nothing to do with crime. A
ganja-man is a timid fellow.
53 to 55. No.
56. The bad effects of ganja will be neutralized
by the admixture of tobacco, etc. The admixtures
are intended to moderate its intoxication.
57. Vide my reply to question 19.
58. Yes ; it is working well.
59. The cultivation or importing of ganja even
for private consumption may be prohibited.
62 to 64. No.
65. Yes.
66 to 68. No.
69. No; none ; not necessary.
70. None.
36. Evidence of DEWAN BAHADUR K. V. LAKSHAMANA Row GARU, .Brahmin,
Deputy Collector, North Arcot.
1. My answers are framed on the reports sent
from my subordinates, and also on enquiries made
of the people by myself.
2. I have no remarks to offer on the definition
of the term. Ganja is the only preparation made
here from hemp plant, and that flat ganja.
3. There is no spontaneous growth in this
division.
4. It is known locally as ganja plant.
5. No growth of wild hemp in the division.
7. (a) Yes.
(b) Nil.
(c) Nil.
(d) Nil.
About 200 acres annually on the Javadi hills in
the Polur taluk.
8. There has been a considerable decrease in the
area under cultivation subsequent to the introduc-
tion of the excise system. Malayalies, who are
the hemp cultivators, are illiterate people confined
to the Javadi hills. Prior to the introduction of
the excise system, the cultivators were selling
freely and making good profits. Now that the
sale is restricted to licensed vendors, who are few
and far between, the vendors offer the cultivators
their own prices, with the result that the price of
the commodity has considerably fallen, and con-
sequently there is decrease in cultivation.
9. The soil is well ploughed and manured.
The seeds are sown in rows. The sprouts shoot
up in a week, and when the plants grow to a
height of one foot, the ground between the rows
of plants is again ploughed, and the loose earth
filled against the stems to stimulate the growth.
This process is repeated three or four times at
intervals of eight or ten days. When the plant be-
comes four months old, the female plants (so the
Malayalies assert) are extirpated. The female
plants are distinguished by the smallness of their
blossoms.
10. They don't form a special class. All Ma-
-layalies cultivate it.
11. No.
12. Not in this division.
13. It is not restricted ; but it is not common
to all parts of the division. It is only cultivated
on the Javadi hills. Extreme cold or hot weather
s a i d , t o b e i n j u r i o u s t o t h e g r o w t h , a s w e l l a l s o
high winds. The plant finds a luxuriant growth
on the hills, where the soil is generally red loam,
richly impregnated with vegetable manure. it
also requires a loose soil retaining some moisture.
The cultivation of the plant appears to have been
tried with success at the foot of the hills too.
14. Only ganja at the Javadi hills to an extent
on an average per year of 1,500 to 2,000 maunds.
15. Method of preparation of ganja. The blos
-soms are detached from-the plants and dried up
in the sun for about ten hours, after which they
are collected in a heap and squeezed between the
thumb and the finger. This process over, a small
quantity of the dry leaves of the plant powdered
is sprinkled over the bottom of a bamboo basket,
specially prepared for the purpose, over which
a quantity of the squeezed flowers is put and
trodden under foot. Over this layer a quantity
of powdered leaves is again sprinkled and
s q u e e z - e d , f l o w e r s a g a i n p l a c e d a n d t r o d d e n , a n d s o o n ,
till the basket is filled. After this the basket is
laid upside down over a smooth but hard ground,
besprinkled with the powder of the leaves, and
the basket removed, the trodden cakes of ganja
being left on the ground one over the other. O
n t h e t o p m o s t c a k e a f l a t s t o n e i s p l a c e d , a n d o v e r
it other stones are piled up ; so that there might
be sufficient weight to press the cakes as hard and
tight as possible. The weight is allowed to stand
for about fifteen hours, after which it is removed and
the cakes detached. The cakes are then broken
into small ones and again trodden under foot and
then dried up in the sun. When the cakes
become sufficiently dry, they are removed into the
houses and piled up. The ganja so prepared is
generally used for smoking purposes mixed up
with tobacco.
1 7 . B y t h e c u l t i v a t o r s t h e m s e l v e s .
18. Ganja. It does. It loses its effect by
lapse of time. It keeps good for one year under
ordinary care. Dampness and exposure to smoke
form the deteriorating causes.
19. Ganja is generally used for smoking, occa-
sionally for eating, mixed with jaggery.
20. Muhammadan bairagis, irulars, and some
low caste people. The proportion or the special
locality could not be ascertained.
2 1 . F l a t i s g e n e r a l l y u s e d f o r s m o k i n g .
25. No perceptible increase or decrease in the
use of ganja is observable.
2 8 .
( a ) ¼
o f a p a l l a m .
(b) of a pallam.
29. Tobacco is ordinarily used with ganja for
smoking purposes and jaggery for eating
p u r p o s e s . N o i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t a d m i x t u r e o f d h a t u r a .
Object of the admixture not well ascertainable.