THE CEUEALIA. 23 



tree, or, at best, is only a wooden frame sixteen or 

 eighteen feet long, in the form of a ladder, which is 

 drawn by four oxen, and driven by two men, who add 

 to its effectiveness by standing upon the instrument. 

 Dr Buchanan, in the account of his ' Journey through 

 Mysore, Canara, and Malabar,' closes a very dis- 

 paraging account of Indian husbandry with the follow- 

 ing remarks : 



* I am afraid, however, that the reader, in perusing 

 the foregoing accounts, will have formed an opinion 

 of the native agriculture still more favourable than it 

 deserves. I have been obliged to use the English 

 words ploughings, vveedings, and hoeings, to express 

 operations somewhat similar that are performed by 

 the natives ; and the frequent repetitions of these, 

 mentioned in the accounts taken from the cultivators, 

 might induce the reader to imagine that the ground 

 was well wrought, and kept remarkably clean. Quite 

 the reverse, however, is the truth. Owing to the 

 extreme imperfection of their implements, and want 

 of strength in their cattle, a field, after six or eight 

 ploughings, has numerous small bushes remaining as 

 upright in it as before the labour, while the plough has 

 not penetrated above three inches deep. The plough 

 has neither coulter nor mould-board to divide and to 

 turn over the soil, and the handle'gives the ploughman 

 very little power to command its direction. The 

 other instruments are equally imperfect, and are more 

 rudely formed than it was possible for my draughtsman 

 to represent.'* 



The only circumstance which is stated favourable 

 to the agricultural skill of the Hindus, is the existence 

 of contrivances for irrigating the lands in seasons 

 of drought. This process is effected by means of 

 tanks, which are maintained under the compulsory 



* Vol. i, p. 126 



