No. 31. — 1885.] RICE CULTIVATION. 



165 



months to mature is sown at first, and latterly one 

 which requires four months. By this means the most 

 is made of the time favourable to sowing, while the rush 

 at harvest is reduced by the crop not all ripening at the 

 same time. 



Cattle are hired for ploughing, and payment made in 

 paddy, varying (for a ten-amunam extent) from six amu- 

 nams in the southern districts to four am imams in the 

 northern, where cattle are more plentiful in proportion to 

 the arable area. 



In October and November the field servants complete 

 the fences and repair the ridges, &c. ; and, ordinarily, for 

 three months after this they have but little to do, beyond 

 sleeping at night in the watch-huts, though they are sup- 

 posed at intervals to patrol the fences. Their days are 

 practically free, and they can engage, if so inclined, in 

 other occupations which will not take them too far away. 

 As a fact, all grow plots of vegetables and tobacco on the 

 higher portions which are to be found in every munmari 

 land, besides shooting game, fishing, and collecting jungle 

 products. In some localities they are able, in January, to 

 undertake the cultivation of lands for kalawellamai, 

 especially in the southern districts. In March the reap- 

 ing begins, and the crop might be all threshed out 

 by the end of April ; but in practice it is stacked and 

 threshed out later at leisure, to admit of the field servants 

 taking part in the cultivation for kalawellamai now 

 going on. 



For reaping extra assistance is taken on, though not 

 invariably, and costs from three to five amunams (for ten 

 amunams' extent) according to the locality and the demand 

 for labour at the time. Threshing out the crop is done entirely 

 with buffaloes, which have generally to be hired, and this 

 operation costs from 2^ to 4 per cent, of the crop in kind. 



Other charges, also paid in kind, are the " kuruvik- 

 karan" or bird-boy, who is employed to frighten off the 

 birds at the time of sowing and when the crop is in ear ; 

 also the cost of ploughs and mamoties, Vattai Vitanai's 

 fee, &c. : these charges may be put down at two amunams 

 for every ten amunams' extent. 



The cost of cultivation of an extent of ten amunams (or 



