Book I. 



AGRICULTURE IN ASIA. 



151 



SuBSECT. 6. Of the Agriculture of the Island if Ceylon. 



914. The agriadture of Ceylon is noticed at some length by Dr. Davy, who says the 

 art is much respected by the Singalese. The climate of that country is without seasons, 

 and differs little throughout the year in any thing but in the direction of the wind, or 

 the presence or absence of rain. Sowing and reaping go on in every month of the year. 



915. The soil of Ceylon is generally silicious, seldom with more than from one to three per 

 cent, of vegetable matter. Dr. Davy [Account, ^c.) found the cinnamon tree in a state 

 of successful culture in quartz sand, as white as snow on the surface, somewhat grey be- 

 low, containing one part in one hundred of vegetable matter ; five-tenths of water, and 

 the remainder silicious sand. He supposes the growth of the trees may be owing in a 

 considerable degree to the situation being low and moist. 



916. The cultivation in the interior of Ceylon is almost exclusively of two kinds ; the 

 dry and wet. The former consists of grubbing up woods on the sides of hills, and sow- 

 ing a particular variety of rice and Indian corn ; the latter is carried on in low flat sur- 

 faces, which may be flooded with water. Rice is the only grain sown ; the ground is 

 flooded previously to commencing the operation of ploughing, and is kept under water 

 while two furrows are given ; the water is then 'let off, and the rice being previously 

 steeped in water, till it begins to germinate, is sown broadcast. When the seed has taken 

 root, and before the mud has had time to dry, the water is re-admitted : when the plants 

 are two or three inches high the ground is weeded, and any thin parts made good by 

 transplating from such as are too thick. The watpr remains on the field till the rice be- 

 gins to ripen, which is commonly in seven months : it is then let off and the crop cut 

 down with reaping hooks, and carried to the tlireshing floor, where it is trod out by 

 buffaloes. 



917. The agricultural implements of the Singalese are few and simple; they consist of 

 jungle hooks, {Jig. 142 a.), for cutting down trees and underwood; an axe (6) ; a sort of 



French spade or beche (c) ; a plough of the lightest kind (d), which the ploughman holds 

 with one hand, the beam being attached to a pair of buffaloes, by a yoke (e), and with 

 the other, he carries a long goad (/ ), with which, and his voice, he directs and stimu- 

 lates the animals. A sort of level (g) is used for levelling the ground after plough- 

 ing, which, like the plough, is drawn by a pair 

 of buffaloes, the driver sitting on it to give it 

 momentum. For smoothing the surface of 

 the mud preparatory to sowing, a sort of 

 light scraper (/<) is employed. The reaping 

 hook (i) is similar to ours ; their winnow (k)^ 

 is composed of strong matting, and a frame of 

 rough twigs. The threshing floor is made of beat 

 clay ; and previous to commencing the oper- 

 ation of treading out, a charm {Jig. 143 /.) 

 is drawn on the middle of the floor. A forked 

 stick {m) is used to gather and stir up tlic straw 

 under the buffaloes' feet. {Davys Ceylon, 'J78. ) 



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