Chap. XXI. ASSESSMENT OF RICE-FIELDS. 347 



with forest, or cleared for dry grains and coffee plantations. 

 The laud revenue, taking the average of five years ending in 

 1858-59, is 255,000^. The assessment of the rice-lands is 

 essentially the same as that fixed by the Government of 

 Tippoo Sultan of Mysore in 1783-84. Though unequal, and 

 in some places burdensome, it is on the whole light, and, 

 except in two of the Talooks,^ it is ligliter in the north than 

 in the south. As an example of the inequality of the land- 

 tax, I may mention that the district of Pattaumby, on the 

 river Ponany, is very highly and unfairly assessed, as it is 

 said, from the following cause. Before the invasion of Tippoo 

 all the land in Malabar was in the hands of feudal chiefs ; 

 there was no land-tax, and the Zamorin and other Eajahs 

 were supported by the produce of their own estates. The 

 first ruler who imposed a land-tax was the Mysore conqueror. 

 Any village which offended his officers was highly assessed ; 

 and hence the present inequalities, which will, however, be 

 corrected by the new Survey and Assessment Commission. In 

 the case of Pattaumby the accountant quarrelled Avith the 

 landowners, and threatened to impose a heavy assessment, 

 and, when they attempted to murder him, he escaped to 

 Wynaad, and sent in his report to Tippoo. 



All land in Malabar is private property, and the landlord 

 gets 20 to 40 per cent, of the net rent, the remainder being 

 the Government demand. From the gross produce of the 

 rice-fields 20 per cent, is deducted for reaping and other 

 small charges called puddum, the remainder being available 

 gross rent. From the gross rent one-third is deducted as 

 the expense of cultivation, called vitoo vally ; one third as the 

 cultivator's share, or hoslioo labon, whether he be a jemahar or 

 proprietor, a kanomkar or mortgagee, or a pattamhar or 

 renter ; and the remaining third is the pattom, net produce, 



Temulponim and Palglumt. 



