538 On the tenures and fiscal relations of [No. 164. 



on to pay more than he paid the two preceding years, and that a 

 cultivation of two years' standing is necessary to give him a title to 

 cultivate at the village rates. There is an apparent difficulty, as to 

 whether the cultivation must be of the same spot, or whether the 

 title holds good in the event of any change, but the fact in practice is, 

 that cultivators will never break up new or even fallow soil except at 

 reduced rates: so that the question generally arises in the third year of 

 cultivation, when, the particular spot of land in dispute having become 

 a valuable holding, the zemindar wishes either to dispossess the tenant 

 and let his land to another at increased rates, or to obtain those in- 

 creased rates from the occupant, who then, in the absence of other 

 title, claims to hold at the same rate as other cultivators in the village, 

 or at the village rates. 



The Nericki-Mukuddum is a rate established in favor of particular 

 individuals, who claim to hold land at rates below those of the village, 

 as a privilege of caste or office; where there is sufficient evidence to 

 prove that this title has been previously recognised, it acquires a force 

 from prescription which is not easily set aside, but it has been gene- 

 rally conceded by the zemindar rather than admitted by Government, 

 or the Courts ; but still in practice it will be found, where there are 

 Rajpoots in the same village with Goallas, Keoras, and Chamars or 

 other low. caste men, that they hold their lands on more favorable 

 terms than these latter; the alleged reason is, that the -Rajpoot culti- 

 vator is compelled to employ servants, who see the whole of the labor 

 is performed by the lower caste cultivators with their own hands. It 

 has already been remarked, that this title must be recognised with 

 caution. 



The Pergunnah-waree Nerick is resorted to, to check the Mowza- 

 warree Nerick in cases where the latter cannot be determined by evi- 

 dence, or when the proper assessment of a village hitherto held at an 

 inadequate rent requires readjustment. It is the prevailing rate in the 

 pergunnah, a well known revenue division of the country. 



The Bundoobustee Nerick is the rate recorded by an officer deputed 

 under Reg. VIII. 1822, to effect the settlement of an estate as the pro- 

 per Nerick of the place; it ought to be either a mere record of the pre- 

 vailing rates fixed with reference to the various titles under which the 

 different cultivators hold their land, or of the rates determined by 



