NO. 29. — 1884.] PADDY CULTIVATION CUSTOMS. 



329 



making the whole to be eight "vayals" including the "Muttaddu" 

 and "Munnilai vayals," and with these six "Veliyans" or 

 cultivators (and two other coolies for "Muttaddu" and "Munni- 

 lai vayals") the whole field is cultivated. For the sowing are 

 required 20^ avanams' seed and 16 avanams' maintenance paddy 

 at 2 avanams each — equals 36 avanams in all ; which is liable 

 to a charge of 50 per cent, profit, payable out of the crop. The 

 Moors (except those of E 'ravur and Akkaraippattu) do not charge 

 50 per cent., because prohibited by their religion, but exact a 

 portion of the cultivator's share, which amounts to double the 

 quantity of the maintenance paddy. 



When no agreement is made for the cultivation of "Muttaddu" 

 for the "Podi," but advances of seed and maintenance paddy are 

 made, 50 per cent, is charged on both the seed and maintenance 

 paddy ; and the "Podi" is entitled to a proportionate share of the 

 produce, as he would be of the sowing extent of the land. 



The "Podi" is entitled to the free labour of all the field- 

 servants in the cultivation of the "Muttaddu," that is, if the 

 cultivators agree to sow a "Muttaddu" for the "Podi" to the 

 produce whereof he has exclusive right, but he has to pay acooly 

 who looks after the "Muttaddu"; and the " Munnilaikkaran,"or the 

 manager and superintendent of the cultivation, is also entitled to 

 a certain degree of free labour which is performed for him in the 

 cultivation of the " Munnilai vayal," and which free labour is 

 rendered to him partly because of the attention and general 

 superintendence of the cultivation of the field, and partly from 

 fear of the " Munnilaikkaran," who will make them forfeit the per- 

 quisites of the cultivation (which will be seen in the sequel) if 

 they refuse to render him free labour to a certain extent, The 

 amount of this free labour is as follows : — 



The field-servant must put up the ridges of the "Munnilai 

 vayal," sow it and fence it, along with the cooly of the "Munnilai 

 vayal"; the fence-sticks are to be supplied by the field-servants ; 

 no fence, by custom of the country, is apportioned for the 

 "Muttaddu" and "Munnilai vayal," which is divided in common 

 with the fences of the field-servants ; cattle for trampling are to 

 be supplied by the "Podi" or the "Munnilaikkarans," unless each 

 field-servant has his own cattle. The usual hire of a yoke of 

 buffaloes for trampling is one avanam of paddy, and a shilling 

 and sixpence in money, called "Kaikkuli," if paid in advance; 

 and one and a-half avanam of paddy, if paid after the harvest. 



