of the Malabar Cardamom, 239 



other. Much more diminutive plots are also cultivated by a race 

 of Hill People called Kourdiara and Cadcra, who are not exactly 

 slaves, but locally attached, and acknowledging certain obliga- 

 tions of a feudal and perhaps reciprocal kind to the Nuirs in the 

 jieighbourhood. They are, of course, permitted to reap the pro- 

 duce of their separate industry, without the participation of these 

 superiors. - 



After the operations now described, no further labour is be- 

 stowed for four years. At the revolution of the fourth rainy sea- 

 son, and towards its close, they look for a crop, and their hopes 

 are rarely disappointed ; this first effort of nature is generally 

 scanty ; for instance, only one-half of what is reaped the follow- 

 ing year, and only one-fourth of what is yielded after the sixth 

 rains, at which period the plant has reached its acme of prolific 

 vigour. Now and then, however, this routine is interrupted, 

 and its progress protracted, by causes of which they are not very 

 solicitous to investigate the nature : they remark, however, ex- 

 cessive and uninterrupted rains to be one source of failure. 



In the dry season succeeding to the first crop, they grub up 

 the undergrowth of shrubs, and clear away the weeds and grass, 

 laying them up, as before, in heaps to rot ; for in no case do they 

 set fire to these, the consequence of which practice would be the 

 certain failure of the crops. This agrees with the most approved 

 ideas of agriculture even in Europe, where the most substantial 

 and copious manures are produced from the mouldering piles of 

 weeds, and vegetable oft'als of every description. 



This process of cleaning being yearly repeated, the same spot 

 will continue productive for 50 years and upwards. My in- 

 formers would not specify any term or number; they said that it 

 exceeded their habits of computation, and the memory of any 

 one generation. Another opinion similarly founded is, that the 



2 I 2 exhausted 



