KUMARI CULTIVATION. 137 



Capt. W. C. Anderson, Supt. Eev. Survey, S. Mahratta country, 

 an Ext. from which, along with Mr Grant's description of the 

 Punam cultivation in Malabar, are forwarded as enclosures to 

 this communication. 



2. In addition to climatic considerations, the chief evils of this 

 rude system of culture are the destruction of valuable timber, at 

 present urgently required for ship-building and railways, and the 

 rendering of land unfit for coffee (see Mr Cannarl's letter, p. 129) 

 cultivation. Where.trees do not attain a great size, laterite being 

 near the surface, or where the timber cannot be removed to a 

 road or river from physical obstructions, or where there is exten- 

 sive bamboo jungle, there is not the same objection to this culti- 

 vation ; the clearing of bamboos is useful, and the Kumari yields 

 a supply of millet grain to the hill tribes. 



3. In the course of my tours, I have constantly an eye to the 

 extent of Kumari cultivation, and it is a matter of satisfaction to 

 me to find that owing to the practice being disallowed, it has 

 ceased in Mysore, has also greatly diminished in the Southern 

 Mahratta country, and is rapidly decreasing in Canara. The 

 system is objectionable for the reasons above given, and I think 

 every effort should be made to do away with it as far as possible, 

 although motives of policy may perhaps require that this consum- 

 mation be gradually brought about. This I would leave in the 

 hands of the collectors, with the proviso, that no virgin forest 

 or forest of old standing be -broken up, but that Kumari be 

 henceforth confined to land which has been within twelve years 

 devoted to that purpose. 



4. South Canara. — Bekal. — In Bekal taluk there is not now 

 any valuable timber. Kumari cultivation has always prevailed 

 there to a great extent ; and from its adjoining Malabar, where 

 Kumari is unlimited, it would be difficult to restrict it more than 

 is suggested by the collector. The prohibition not to cut within 

 nine miles of the coast and three of the banks of a river is wise, 

 but there are exceptional tracts ; and the granting of these should 

 be left to the discretion of the collector. I may observe that it is 

 more important to reserve on the banks of a river than on the 

 sea shore, where trees do not thrive, and are chiefly valuable for 

 firewood. 



k2 



