area of 294 square miles of territory immediately below and in the Simla Hills. The territory of the Phulkian States is scattered and intermixed, and they have islands in British districts and _vice versa_, a natural result of their historic origin and development. [Illustration: Fig. 116. Maharaja of Patiala.] Phul was the sixth in descent from Baryam, a Sidhu Jat, to whom Babar gave the _Chaudhrayat_ of the wild territory to the south-west of Delhi, making him in effect a Lord of the Marches. _Tree showing relationship of the three Houses_. Phul | +-------+-------------+ Tiloka Rama +------+------+ | Gurditta Sukhchen Raja Ala Singh | | of Patiala | | Suratya Raja Gajpat Singh | of Jind | Raja Hamir Singh of Nabha The century and more which elapsed between the grant and Phul's death in 1652 were filled with continual fighting with the Bhattis. Phul's second son Rama obtained from the Governor of Sirhind the _Chaudhrayat_ of the Jangal Des. When Ahmad Shah defeated the Sikhs near Barnala in 1762, Rama's son, Ala Singh, was one of his prisoners. He was a chief of such importance that his conqueror gave him the title of Raja and the right to coin money. But Ala Singh found it prudent to join next year in the capture of Sirhind. From the division of territory which followed the separate existence of the Phulkian States begins. The manner in which they came in 1809 under British protection has already been related. The Raja of Patiala was our ally in the Gurkha War in 1814, and received the Pinjaur _tahsil_. The active loyalty displayed in 1857 was suitably rewarded by accessions of territory. The right of adoption was conferred, and special arrangements made to prevent lapse, if nevertheless the line in any state failed. [Sidenote: Area, 5412 sq. m. Cultd area, 4515 sq. m. Pop. 1,407,659; 40 p.c. H. 38 p.c. S. 22 p.c. M. Rev. Rs. 82,00,000 =L546,666.] ~Patiala~ occupies five-sevenths of the Phulkian inheritance The predominant agricultural tribe is the Jats, over three-fourths of whom are Sikhs. The cultivated area is four-fifths of the total area. Over one-fourth of the former is irrigated, 27 p.c. from wells, and the rest from the two canals. In an area extending with breaks from Simla to the Rajputana desert the variations of agriculture are of course extreme. The state is excellently served by railways.