Ivii 



assessed ; and that the farmers, if they would not grasp at more 

 than they have stock to manage, might be in a much more comfortable 

 situation. One great cause indeed of the poverty of the farmers, and 

 consequent poverty of crops in many parts of India, is the cusfcm of 

 forcing land upon people who have no means of cultivating it. Thus 

 all the lands are apparently occupied ; but it is in a manner that is 

 worse than if one-half of them were entirely waste. I believe every 

 intelligent farmer in England will say that one acre fully improved 

 will give more profit than two that are half cultivated. 



On servants employed in agriculture [Dhdrdpicram). — The servants 

 employed here in agriculture are hired in the beginning of the year 

 for twelve months. They may change their service when their term 

 expires if they be not in their master's debt ; but as he generally 

 advances money for their marriages and other ceremonies, they are 

 seldom at liberty to go away. They get twenty hullas of rough rice 

 [paddy) a month with four fanams and one siliga of rough rice 

 yearly, and their master pays their house-rents. The whole is about 

 31 bushels of rough rice, of which one-half is husk, with two shillings 

 in money, besides the house-rent which will not exceed one or two 

 shillings a year. These servants generally have one wife, who at 

 seed time and harvest works for the master for daily wages. A 

 woman's daily wages are four puddies of grain worth about nine- 

 tenths of a penny. A man gets six puddies of grain. A servant 

 with these wages can once or twice a month procure a little animal 

 food. Milk is too expensive. His common diet consists of some 

 boiled grain, with a little salt and capsicum, and perhaps some pickles. 

 His drink is the water in which the grain was boiled. He has very 

 little clothing, and that little is extremely dirty ; his house is a hovel, 

 and he is commonly overrun with vermin and cutaneous disorders. 

 The women, although not clean, are fully clothed. 



On servants and price of labour (PoUdchi, Coimhatore). — There 

 are here two kinds of servants employed by the farmers to cultivate 

 the lands j they are caWedpadiyals andpungals. The padiyals receive 

 yearly 3 pedis of grain (29 bushels), worth 48 Vir' -Ray a fanams, with 

 10 fanams in money, and a house. The 58 fanams are equal to £1 8s. 

 9^d. The wife and children of the padiyal are paid for whatever work 

 they perform. He is hired by the year ; but if he contracts a debt with 

 his master, he cannot quit the service till that be discharged. 



The pungals go to a rich farmer, and for a share of the crop 

 undertake to cultivate his lands. He advances the cattle, implements, 

 seed, and money or grain that is necessary for the subsistence of the 

 pungals. He also gives each family a house. He takes no share in 

 the labour which is all performed by the pungals, and their wives and 

 children ; but he pays the rent out of his share on the division of the 

 crop, which takes place when that is ripe. If a farmer employs six 

 pungals to cultivate his land, the produce is divided into 15 portions, 

 which are distributed as follow : — 



To the farmer, or punnadi, for rent, seed, &c. ... 6 



To do. do. for profit ... 1 



To do, do. for interest of money advanced 2 



To the pungals or laborers ... ... ... ... 6 



t 15 portions, 



9 



