INTRODUCTORY. 333 



without the aid of animals of draught; and lacking horses, 

 cattle, and sheep as they did, there was no stock-farming to 

 cooperate with arable farming by furnishing manure as well 

 as traction. Of course a like industrial history is to be 

 recognized among the South Sea Islanders. 



Here, however, we are concerned not so much to note this 

 independent origin of agriculture (which in the stages indi 

 cated is a kind of developed gardening) as to note the im 

 mense obstacles to cultivation in early stages. Some idea of 

 these may be formed from the description given by Mr. 

 James Rodway, F. L. S., of &quot; Man s conflict with Nature &quot; 

 in South America, where clearings are soon re-conquered by 

 the invading vegetal life around. Speaking of an &quot; ordinary 

 squatter s clearing,&quot; he says: 



&quot;Immediately behind is the forest, reaching out its hands, as it 

 were, to embrace the little half-clearing. Whiplike extensions of 

 scrambling vines stretch over the fruit trees and bring one after 

 another under their canopy. . . . The man at last begins to see how 

 the jungle is advancing, and looks on helplessly. ... At last the 

 house is surrounded and the creepers run over the thatch. Probably 

 the uprights have already been attacked by wood ants and threaten to 

 give way. A new house must be built, and this can be done better on 

 a fresh clearing ; so the place is abandoned, and Nature again triumphs. 

 A few months later and the landing is choked, the house fallen, and 

 the jungle impenetrable.&quot; 



Various hill-tribes in India yield illustrations of rude agri 

 culture and its difficulties. Concerning the Lepchas, who 

 &quot; rarely remain longer than three years in one place,&quot; we 

 read that the process of clearing consists &quot; in cutting down 

 the smaller trees, lopping off the branches of the large ones, 

 which are burnt, and scratching the soil with the ban/ 

 after which, on the falling of a shower of rain, the seed is 

 thrown into the ground.&quot; Of the Bobo and Dhimals it is 

 said : &quot; The characteristic work is the clearing of fresh 

 land, which is done every second year . . . Firing is the 

 last effectual process.&quot; &quot; The Kookies,&quot; says Butler, &quot; raise 

 only one crop, and then relinquish the land and cut down 



