82 MALAY LAND TENURE. 



This is, no doubt, the national Mala} 7 mode of agriculture, 

 and characteristically enough it is introduced into the legend 

 which tells of the establishment of a royal line of Indian 

 origin into Malay countries. The two peasant women whom 

 the first Indian king meets when he descends upon the sacred 

 mountain at Palembang, are described as engaged in culti- 

 vating a hill-garden (ber-ladang) where they plant hill-padi.*. 

 The successive processes of clearing, burning and planting 

 appear to be carried out in Sumatra in precisely the same way 

 as on the Peninsula, f 



Tennent's description of ie Chena - " cultivation in Ceylon is 

 worth transcribing in full. It will be seen that he regards the 

 disadvantages of the system as outweighed by its advantages : — 



" The process of Chena cultivation in this province is uni- 

 " form and simple. The forest being felled, burned, cleared, 

 " and fenced, each individual's share is distinguished by 

 " marks, huts are erected for the several families, and in Sep- 

 " tember the land is planted with Indian corn and pumpkins ; 

 " and melon seeds are sown, and cassava plants put clown 

 " round the enclosure. In December, the Indian corn is 

 " pulled in the cob and carried to market ; and the ground is 

 " re-sown with millet and other kinds of grain, chillies, sweet 

 " potatoes, sugar-cane, hemp, yams, and other vegetables, over 

 u which an unwearied watch is kept up till March and April, 

 " when all is gathered and carried off. But as the cotton 

 " plants, which are put in at the same time with the small 

 " grain and other articles that form the second crop after the 

 " Indian corn has been pulled, require two years to come to 

 " maturity, one party is left behind to tend and gather, whilst 

 i( their companions move forward into the forest to commence 

 " the process of felling the trees, and forming another Chena 

 "farm. 



" The Chena cultivation lasts but for two years in any one 

 " locality. It is undertaken by a company of speculators 

 " under a license from the government agent of the district, 

 " and a single crop of grain having been secured and sufficient 

 "time allowed for the ripening and collection of the cotton, 



* Journ. Royal As. Socy. vol. XIII, N.S., p. 401. 

 f Marsden, Hist, of Sumatra, 62. 



