Cokn. — Dry Land, 171 



remaining' waste dry laud on Penan™ and the territory 

 opposite, being speedily and permanently cultivated 

 wiihout the aid of European, or, at the least, ot Chi. 

 o nese capital and skill. 



Tli is reasoning-, as regards the Island, is strengthen- 

 ed hy the fact already noted in the description of value 

 produce in the first part of this Paper, that cultiva- 

 tion of dry Kind on it was more advanced thirty years 

 &go than it is at this day, although it now bids fair 

 to retrace its steps mm accelerated velocity. 



Any person desirous of cultivating laud in Pro- 

 viu ;e Wellesley u required, in the first instance, to 

 apply to the Collector there. A native land-measurer 

 then proceeds, with the applicant, to examine the 

 ground, If this he under forest, a rough estimate 

 of the boundaries is made, and the applicant returns 

 t > the Collector's office where his name is registered. 



also receives a written permit to clear and culti, 

 v^te, — a period of from one to five years being al- 

 lowed, according to thu nature and situation of t,he 

 land, free of rent. When the ground has been clear- 

 ed and cultivate 1, a correct survey is made, and a 

 lease is issued, at a rent, or a qu it -rent, of from 

 one up to four sicca rupees an orlong — the present 

 ultimatum for arable land. 



JAGONG OR INDIAN CORN. 

 This grain is cultivated both on the Island ami 

 opposite coast, but tliL* greatest quantities on the 

 latter. Newly-cleared lands are preferred for it, in 

 order to save the trouble and expense of manuring, and 

 as it is a rapid exhauster of the soil. The Malays 

 generally intermingle it with the dry rice and pulse 

 eultivati til. They are not partial to it a food, and 

 c onsider it far inferior to rice. When they do eat it 

 in grain it is merely <$ an accidental addition to their 

 common litre, or as as lt cheap substitute for il, when 



