The Kolar gold field is about seven miles in length, and averages about two to three miles in width.  There are in all fourteen mines, but two of them are practically stopped.  The general appearance of it is at present by no means attractive, as the land is rocky and sterile, and unfavourable to the growth of trees, but, from the appearance of some of the Baubul trees, I feel sure that if large pits for the trees were dug, and filled with soil from the low-lying ground, a great deal might be done to beautify the field, by planting here and there groups of Baubul and other hardy trees indigenous to the locality.  As I thought it would be interesting, and perhaps useful, to give some idea of life on the fields, I asked one of the ladies resident there to supply me with some notes for publication, and her observations on the situation from a social and general point of view are as follows.

“You ask me for some notes on the field, and I may begin by telling you that we usually rise about half-past six, when the menkind go off to their offices, or underground, as the ease may be.  We have tiffin between twelve and one, and dinner at half-past seven.  Breakfast is generally at about eight, and the managers commonly have theirs sent down to the office.

“In the afternoon, that is to say, when the five o’clock whistle blows, we play tennis, or else go down to the Gymkana ground to watch the cricket.  Sometimes there is a gymkana in which we all take great interest, particularly in those races called ladies’ events, when the winners present their prizes to the ladies who have nominated them.  The great drawback to the gold fields at present is the absence of some general meeting-place or club, but it is hoped that by next year this want will be supplied, as the Ooregum, Nundydroog, and Champion Reefs Companies have combined to build a hall, which is to contain a billiard-room, card-room, library, etc., and there is to be a tennis court in the compound.

“One of the great pleasures is gardening.  The plants that grow best are jalaps, sunflowers, roses, cornflowers, nasturtiums, verbenas, and geraniums, all of which, with the exception of the two first-named plants, require water constantly.  The creepers that grow best are passion-flowers, and a small kind of green creeper with convolvulus flowers, the name of which I do not know.  Honeysuckle also grows, though but slowly.  Trees have recently been planted in the various compounds, and also along some parts of the road leading to the bungalows, but owing to the shallowness of the soil, and the roots so soon reaching the rock, they seldom grow to any size.  Some casuarinas in the Mysore mine camp have grown to about twenty feet in height, but these have now struck the rock, and most of them are dying.