June 1908. ) 



Scientific Agriculture. 



desired the practical demonstration of 

 the implement, and their requests were 

 complied with. When the working 

 scheme of the Agricultural Association 

 was being drafted, a Committee, con- 

 sisting of Messrs. D. T. Ohadwick, Rao 

 Sahib T. Raghaviah, J. Dhartuarauga 

 Raju, J. Chelvaranga Raju and V. P. 

 Subramania Mudaliar, sat and discussed 

 the best methods of introducing the 

 improved ploughs to the ryots of this dis- 

 trict. It was suggested by Mr. J. Chelva- 

 rang Raju that the Association should 

 own a few pairs of cattle and let them for 

 hire to such of these ryots who wanted to 

 work their lands with theimproved plough 

 and also demonstrate the same in im- 

 portant fairs and festivals in the district. 

 The suggestion was approved of and 

 carried out by the Association. During 

 the demonstrations with the Neelakanta 

 Asary's plough, some defects were 

 noticed in it which were rectified by Mr. 

 J. Dharmaranga Raju, who designed 

 a new form of the plough suitable for 

 both wet and dry methods. Arrange- 

 ments by the Agricutural Association 

 were made for the manufature of ploughs 

 through Mr. J. Dharmaranga Raju who 

 engaged a smith at Palamcottah tor the 

 purpose. The ploughs were constantly 

 at work on wet and dry lands near 

 public roads for some hours every day, 

 and the ryots had opportunities of ob- 

 serving the usefulness of the implements 

 and its workability with the aid of ordin- 

 ary sized cattle of the locality. Plough- 

 ing demonstrations were also conducted 

 by the Agricultural Association at the 

 cattle fairs at Sivalaperi and Alwarti- 

 runagari and also at Tinnevelly, Palam- 

 cottah, Krishnapuram, Melappalaiyam 

 in Tinnevelly Taluqsand at Pathamadai 

 and Sermadevi in the Ambasamudrum 

 Taluqs. During the Jamaband iof Tinne- 

 velly and Sankaranayinarkoyil and 

 Ottappidararn Taluqs, Mr. J. Dharma- 

 ranga Raju demonstrated the use of 

 improved ploughs at the various Jama- 

 bandi camps. Demonstrations were also 

 given by him during his tours in Tin- 

 nevelly and Sankaranayinarkoyil Taluqs, 

 and in Kalloor where a weekly fair is 

 held, and at Kazhugumalai where an 

 important annual cattle fair is held- 

 Mr. A. Rama Row of the Sivagiri 

 Home farm purchased ten ploughs from 

 the Agricultural Association ^and work- 

 ed in the Sivagiri Home farm lands, 

 which attracted the attention of the 

 ryots of the locality. There being a local 

 demand for about fifty ploughs at and 

 around Sivagiii, Mr. A. Rama Row has in- 

 duced a local smith at Sivagiri to under- 

 take the manufacture of the ploughs, 

 and a few ploughs so manufactured are 

 already ia use at Sivagiri, 



Number of Iron Ploughs in use.— The 

 statement showing the particulars of 

 the number of ploughs sold by the Agri- 

 cnltmal Association, Tinnevelly, h;\s 

 alietdy been submitted. The Agent 

 wno supervises the sale of iron ploughs 

 having failed to note the names of pur- 

 cheasers from time to time, an accurate 

 list could not be given. The statement 

 was prepared from particulars gather- 

 ed from the accounts kept by the smith 

 (manufacturer). About 300 ploughs may 

 be taken to have been distributed by 

 the Association, some of which appear 

 to have been purchased by royts of 

 other districts also. 



Opinions of Ryots as regards its Advan- 

 tagesand Disadvantages.— The general ob- 

 jection to the introduction of this plough 

 is the vague tear that it requires larger 

 sized and more costly cattle to work it. 

 The fear appears to have been created 

 in the minds of the royts by the efforts 

 made by the Agricultural Department 

 some years back to introduce the Swedish 

 plough. 



(1) The ryots actually see that greater 

 amount of work is turned out by the 

 improved plough and draw the inference 

 that the improved plough must neces- 

 sarily cause very great strain on the 

 animals, and they express the fear that 

 their cattle would be unequal to the task 

 if employed constantly as in the ordin- 

 ary plough. 



(2) They also say that the plough is 

 not suited for all classes of soils. 



(3) Another important objection raised 

 by the ryots is the difficulty of getting 

 them repaired in case of accidents. 

 Spare shares are given whenever they 

 are wanted, and yet this fear has not 

 been removed from their mind. 



(4) Another objection pointed out is 

 that the implement is too heavy to be 

 carried to the fields, and that the weight 

 of the implement must necessarily in- 

 crease its draught. 



(5) They also contend with some 

 degree of truth that as the implement 

 works deeper than the country plough, 

 it brings up the hitherto unstirred sub- 

 soil which would necessitate the use of 

 very large quantity of manure which 

 they could not easily afford. 



(6) The ryots doubt seriously if the 

 implement could be worked by any one 

 except skilled and specially traiued 

 coolies, 



(7) As working parts of the improved 

 plough are made of iron, the ryots fear 

 that serious injury will be caused tg 

 the legs of cattle, 



