famine year of 1897, an ^ ^ey ' et '* a ^ out ^at year. The 

 mahajani system has its advantages, if no better system of 

 supply of good seed at more reasonable rates can be substi- 

 tuted in its place. But if an official system or a system 

 devised with the aid of local bodies or bankers can be substi- 

 tuted for it one of the greatest of curses under which the 

 Indian cultivator has lived from time immemorial, will be 

 removed. 



1.449. The Agricultural Department may also organise 

 a system through village unions and putwaries, of lending 

 out irrigation and other machinery, superior bulls, &c., on 

 hire. Rehia mills have, no doubt, been popularised without 

 such aid, but as a matter of fact, the raiyat needs a helping 

 hand, as small farmers in every other country do. The fruits 

 of agricultural science can filter down to actual cultivators 

 only by means of an organised agency, where the cultivators 

 are either illiterate or very poorly educated, who are not 

 accustomed of their own accord to make new departures. 

 Of course, the principal lever to move the raiyat is education, 

 specially agricultural education, but an expert agency working 

 in connection with village unions, may also accomplish a 

 great deal. 



1.450. The extension of canals and railways are further 

 measures of protection which Government has been steadily 

 developing. Death from starvation even in localised famines 

 was more general in times past than now, when means of 

 communication with the interior are easier. But a greater 

 state of progress in these directions is desirable. 



1.451. Relief -works. The means of affording relief 

 when famine actually breaks out are detailed in the Famine 

 Code. One suggestion, however, will not be quite out of place 

 in a book like this. By the end of September or middle of 

 October it becomes quite evident, whether famine is going 

 to take place or not. If the general outturn estimated for 

 the whole province by the Agricultural Department, of 



