No. 31. — 1885.] RICE CULTIVATION. 



167 



extent by hired coolies is given at 350 bushels in grain, or 

 about 13 bushels per acre. In another estimate for culti- 

 vating lOamunams in the customary manner, Mr. Crowther 

 provides for three field servants, and an outlay of 24-J 

 amunams of paddy (exclusive of ground share or rent, and 

 consumption paddy which is an advance repaid at harvest 

 time). 



From the Indian reports I find that in the Godavery 

 District, where agricultural services are remunerated in 

 grain, the expenses of cultivation are very nearly the same, 

 and are given in the revenue reports as 3J pooties of graiu 

 for 1 pooty extent, equivalent to 100 English bushels for 8 

 acres, or 12J bushels the acre. In other parts of the Madras 

 Presidency the rate is very much the same. 



Perhaps it is as well I should explain that I have 

 throughout dealt with the case of a proprietor working his 

 own land with his own capital, hiring at ready money prices 

 any additional aid he requires in men or cattle, so as to 

 avoid liability for the exorbitant rate of interest charged 

 for deferred payment, which, in Batticaloa, is never less 

 than 50 per cent. 



All the information which I have collected (though 

 obtained direct from practical working agriculturists) has, 

 owing to my official position, been afforded under the 

 impression that it was sought with a view of increasing 

 their liabilities to Government. We may consequently, 

 I think, safely conclude that the figures given are very 

 outside estimates, rarely worked up to, and include charges 

 not always incurred. For instance, I have made no deduc- 

 tion for the spare time on the cultivator's hands between 

 sowing and reaping, which a European employer of labour 

 would doubtless find some way of turning to account. 

 Indeed, many natives do, to my own knowledge, utilize 

 it for other purposes, as already explained, as the only call 

 on them during this interval is that of watching by night, 

 which is done alternately or by arrangement, so as to admit 

 of at least half the men being absent at a time, and 

 frequently by the substitution of mere children. 



Again, as regards harvest operations, I found, when 

 going round, that in mauy instances these are done by the 

 regular field servants, sometimes aided by their female 



