130 KUMARI CULTIVATION. 



portions of new cultivation have taken place, more particularly 

 about the village of Hansu and Ulvi, which were only a short 

 time since entirely dependent on the kumari, but have now a 

 considerable extent of rice lands under cultivation." 



(E.) Mr J. Beaumont, Manager of the Beypur Iron-Works. 



11th November 1858. 

 " I venture to invite your attention to the wanton sacrifice of 

 tracts of forest, by a practice prevailing to a large extent in Mala- 

 bar. I allude to the cutting of maiden forest by the Malai-karen 

 and native landowners for the purposes of cultivation. The 

 grains usually planted are paddy,* shama,f and tomara. Tor the 

 two last, Government receive no tax. For the first (paddy), which 

 is principally sown, it is true that the sircar receives the usual 

 nigady ; but, for the following reasons, this affords to the country 

 an inadequate return for the destruction of forests, which in later 

 years would prove of immense value. The tract of land denuded 

 of forest, from the want of irrigation, can only be cultivated profitably 

 once in five, or sometimes in twenty, years. Thus does the country 

 receive but one year's tax, out of say nine, upon ground so cleared. 

 It will, upon the other hand, readily be perceived, that these whole- 

 sale depredators, being unable to cultivate the same land except 

 during one year, will remove to another locality where maiden 

 jungle stands, and there resume the work of devastation. It is 

 unnecessary for me to enumerate, to one so well acquainted with 

 the district, the numberless tracts of magnificent forest which, 

 during my short residence in Malabar, I have seen swept from 

 existence, by the process now undermentioned ; but I cannot re- 

 frain, whilst an opportunity offers, of recording my decided 

 opinion, that unless Government take some step (and the remedy 

 is easy) to check this system of wanton destruction, in a very few 

 years the chief portion of these magnificent forests will present 

 little but a barren waste, studded with the stumps of the finest 

 trees which can adorn or fertilize the district in which they 

 stand." 



* Oryza sativa. t Panicum miliare. 



