Journal of the Annamalai University. March 1950

The district is for the most part an open flat plain sloping gently from the west to the sea on the east The only hills are the Kalrayans on the south - western border the group of rocky heights which lie south - west of Gingee known commonly as the Gingee hills and the two low plateau of red ground one of small dimensions near Pondicherry and the other of some length running from Cuddalore to [...] The alluvial valleys of the Ponnayar and the Gadilam rivers in the centre of the district and of the Vellar and the Coleroon in the south of it differ in their soil from the country on either side of them. [...] The failure of the South West monsoon affects the extent of all dry crops as well as the outturn of the early crops.cumbu gingelly etc while that of the North East monsoon affects the outturn of all-other dry crops and both the extent and outturn of the wet crops and results in a large remission of revenue. [...] The district is below the average in area but in the number of inhabitants and density of population it stands third and fifth respectively among the districts of the Presidency.4 UNIVERSITY JOURNAL The amount of emigration which takes place from the district to adjoining areas within and without the Presidency is difficult to estimate. [...] ECONOMIC LIFE OF SOUTH ARGOT DISTRICT 19 As the smaller agriculturists predominate among the population of the district their economic prosperity is conditioned by the extent to which the natural drawbacks of the district to agriculture and the disposal of agricultural products could be overcome by the efforts of the people and the government.