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 PERAMBALUR TALUK.

Perambaluh taluk lies near tho niiddlo of the north side of the district. It is partly bounded ou the north b}' the Vollar, and I'erambalOr, drains into this river and its tributaries and southwards into the Nandiyar. The Paehaimalais a])ut upon its western border. It is an undulating country containing a smaller population than any other taluk in the district, and being less thickly peopled than any other except KulittaUii. Its people are the most illi- terate in tho district, and it contains only one school above the primary grade.

Perambalur contains 83 square miles of forest, and more culturable waste than any other taluk. Of the assessed laud, 34 square miles are irrigated ; namely, 16 square miles from tanks, 14 from wells, and 4 from Government channels and other somces. Tho dry land is of rather poor quality, 50 per cent, of it being assessed at less than a rupee an acre ; but the wet land is generally of fair fertility. Eighty-one per cent, of the soil is black and the rest red. The rainfall averages nearly 40 inches, and comes second only to that in Udaiyarpalaiyam. Varagu, cambu and ragi are the most widely-grown crops, but rice and cholam also cover large areas, and coriander, cotton and indigo are grown here to a larger extent than in most other taluks. Other statistics will be found in the separate Appendix.

The taluk is a poor one. The incidence of the income-tax, both per asscssee and per head of the population is lower than anywhere else in the district and few industries exist. Blankets are woven all over tho taluk by the Kurumbans, but the only other weaving appears to be the carpet industry of Ranjangudi, and that is not of any considerable size. Metal vessels for house- hold use are made by a few smiths in Aranarai, Olappadi, Kurumbalur and Melappuliyur. The work at the last two places is ornamental and of good class. A few smiths at ^ittalai make metal images of the gods. There are a few good wood- carvers at Anukktir, Mdttiir, Kurumbalur and Taludur, and a few stone- cutters at Eraiyur, Karai and Okkarai.

Prehistoric kistvaens of the usual kind occur in the taluk. Eanjangudi and Uttatur were the scenes of some exciting paseages of arms between the French and English in the Camatic