196 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XII. 



." Anali of earth weighs 17 palam ; of sand 20 palam ; of paddy 16 palam ; 

 of rice 10 palam ; of salt 16 palam ; of pure water 12 palam ; of ordinary- 

 water 13 palam ; of bad water 17 palam. A nali of gingelly contains 195,000 

 grains ; of paddy 14,100 ; of rice 39,800; of peas 14,800 ; of beans 1,800 ; of 

 pepper 12,800. 



(Orientalist, vol. III., parts 7 and 8, p. 145.) 



8 As showing that terms of measurement are variously estimated in 

 different places, it might here be pointed out that one marakal (corn 

 measure) is considered by the people of South India to contain 4 quarts , by 

 the people of the Vanni in Ceylon 10 quarts, and by the inhabitants of the 

 Batticaloa District 8 quarts. 



9 The term " acre " is considered to mean the extent understood as the 

 equivalent of that expression — one foreign to the people — according to the 

 sowing extent represented by it, " sowing extent " being the native mode 

 of measurement universally obtaining throughout Ceylon. In some parts 

 the sowing extent considered as the equivalent of an acre is two bushels, 

 in most it is two and a half, and in some it is three, but, whatever it may 

 be, it was always intended and understood that by an " acre " should be 

 meant the extent by native measurement locally recognised as its equivalent, 

 and in like manner of course with its fractional parts. In answer to an 

 inquiry from the Government Agent of the North- Western Province, 

 Kurunegala, as to whether this construction should be put on the term 

 "acre "in the provisions for assessment of water-rate contained in the 

 Irrigation Ordinance, as much embarrassment would otherwise be occasioned 

 with regard to the assessment in the absence of a survey, the Colonial 

 Secretary replied that two and a half parrahs or two bushels' sowing extent 

 corresponded with an acre, and was always accepted as such in the Western 

 Province in calculations affecting paddy lands, and that this standard might 

 be adopted as a general rule for the North- Western Province, Exceptional 

 cases no doubt would occur where, owing to the poverty of the soil or other 

 causes, a larger quantity of seed was used for the same extent of land ; and 

 in such cases a relaxation of the rule might be allowed at discretion, when 

 the circumstances required it. There was no necessity for interfering with 

 the rule hitherto in force, as it was out of the question that any general 

 survey of all paddy lands could be undertaken at present. (Administration 

 Report, North-Western Province, 1874, appendix D.) 



10 Cf . Tamil long measure : — 



8 atoms 

 8 dust 



8 cotton dust 

 8 hair points 

 8 grains of sand 

 8 mustard seeds 

 8 gingelly seeds 

 8 paddy grains 



12 finger breadths 



12 spans 

 500 kole 



a dust seen in the sunbeam 



a cotton dust 



the point of a hair 



a grain of sand 



a mustard seed 



a gingelly seed 



a paddy grain 



(the breadth of) a finger 



a span 



a cubit or kole 



a yosannai 



