ik39] Permanent Anmial Money Rents. ^9 



ceipts of the raerasiidars, cannot in the best years exceed 25 or 30 per 

 cent, of the produce, that independently of the share apportioned 

 to the paracudies, the merasidar pays from his own share of the pro- 

 duce, a further part of the charges of cultivation, in finding the seed, 

 aiid repairing the minor water channels, and that his family is to be 

 maintained, and clothed from the produce left to him after all out- 

 goings have been provided for. His largest net surplus profits there- 

 fore can scarceiy, at any time exceed 8 or 10 per cent, per annum 

 be he ever so prudent. And it must be impossible for him, with an 

 annual surplus of this extent, to undertake the liability for a permanent 

 42 or 45 per cent. ; in a country, where crops often fluctuate, 30 per 

 cent., and where price in abundant years sinks 50 or 60 per cent, and 

 even more. 



The following memorandum of the produce, and prices, in one of 

 the richest of the talooks in Tanjore (Sheally) in the four years im- 

 mediately preceding the introduction of the ryotwar money rents, 

 affords a striking instance of the fluctuations to which both prices and 

 produce are subject in this country, even where the lands are water- 

 ed by the south-west monsoon. 



Years. 



Produce of the Talook. 



Prices. 



Fusly 1233 



A. D. 1823-4 



Fusly 12;-54.... 



A. D. 1824-5........ 



Fusly 1235 



A. D. 1825-6 . 



Fusly 1236 



A. D. 1826-7 



^ 5,37,000 cullums.... 



^ 7,14,000 do 



1 5,91,000 do.... .. 



I 8,24,000 do 



) 



1 R. per cuUum. 

 1 R. 2 Annas do. 



8 Annas do. 



7i Annas do. 



We see here, in the short term of four years, produce fluctuating 

 30 to 40 per cent., or from 5 to 8 lakhs, and prices 130 percent., with the 

 remarkable feature, that in the third year fusly 1235, produce decreased 

 nearly 20 per cent, on the previous year, not the best of the four, and 

 prices fell at the same time more than 120 per cent., making a total 

 fall on the preceding year of 140 per cent. These are the fluctuations 

 in the short period of four years, and there is no reason to doubt that 

 like variations in produce, though it is probable, not to the same 



