PURCHASE. 53 



COORG 



Once distributed its Coffee-land free, subject only 

 to a proviso that so much should be cultivated 

 annually that golden period for the small capi- 

 talist is now over, and he must register his land 

 and bid for it publicly, paying down ten per cent, 

 of the price on the day of sale and the rest 

 within thirty days, the reserve being two rupees 

 per acre, including all surveying expenses. 



TRAVANCORE. 



Most of the land in the district has been taken 

 up from the Travancore Government. The land 

 is first put up to auction and sold to the highest 

 bidder, the original applicant very often being 

 kept out of the purchase by competition. At the 

 last sale of lands, as much as Rs. 70 an acre was 

 paid. This arrangement is hard on those who 

 have at great expense and trouble selected a piece 

 of forest, and some consideration and preference 

 should in fairness be given to prospectors. For 

 five years no tax is levied ; after that grace, which 

 is supposed to allow the planters to get a portion 

 into cultivation, twelve annas an acre is charged per 

 annum on both cultivated land and forest. A duty 

 of a rupee a cwt. is further charged, and taking the 

 average crops of the district at three cwt. an acre, 

 the planter does not get off under (with interest on 

 original purchase) four to five rupees an acre a 



