1845.] the owners, and occupants of the soil in Bengal, &c. 539 



himself with due reference to the prevailing pergunnah rates. Rates 

 thus established are under the provisions of Section XI. Reg. VII. 

 1822, fixed for ever, as far as concerns the ryut holding under them 

 at the time of settlement; neither can this in propriety be questioned 

 in the Civil Court. 



Jungle-boor ee Nerick. The rate at which cultivators enter into 

 engagements to bring jungly land into cultivation. These of course 

 depend on the terms of the specific contract entered into. It may be 

 useful to notice the various circumstances which may affect this. These 

 are, the density of the jungle required to be cleared, the situation of the 

 land with reference to markets, public thoroughfares or rivers, the 

 demand for land in the neighbourhood, the means of irrigation, the 

 quality of the soil and water, the aspect of the ground, and the heal- 

 thiness of the climate. 



Nayabadee Nerick. The rate at which cultivators enter into en- 

 gagements to bring waste lands into cultivation ; the above remarks 

 are very much applicable to it also. 



Bheetee Nerick is the rate at which land for building is let. It 

 is generally fixed on each house, and is determined by the eligibility of 

 site, the extent of population, and similar causes ; in almost every case 

 former payments will be the only satisfactory evidence regarding this 

 rate. 



Nerick Baghan, Nerick Phulkur. These two rates appertaining to 

 orchards or gardens may be considered together. As some outlay is 

 necessary for the preparation of a garden, the cultivator generally 

 secures himself by obtaining a lease of the ground beforehand ; where 

 he fails to do this, and has no prescriptive rights in his favor, the 

 zemindar claims some proportion of the produce; even where this is as 

 low as one-fifth, it is disadvantageous to the ryut, as orchard land 

 requires great care in cultivation, and yields exceedingly high returns. 

 A grove of mango trees standing on five acres will yield four or five 

 hundred rupees if situated near a public road ; in like way the produce 

 of betel gardens, or pawn gardens, is of such value that the highest 

 rate of money rent, will seldom equal more than one-twentieth or 

 twenty- fifth part of the assets. With all these rates the evidence of past 

 payments, or the payments in adjoining fields or properties is the best 

 guide for determining what ought to be paid in each particular case ; 

 where evidence on this head is not procurable, great caution must be 



