Statistical Report on the 



[No. 35, 



ioor. 5tli ruhhee, and so on for ten years, when tlie ground is al- 

 lowed to follow for two or tliree years. 



The fallow ground is neglected, which is not of much conse- 

 quence in the black soil— but the red gets speedily covered with 

 low growing shrubs and bushes— the Cassia auriculata and Zy%y- 

 phus microplujlla shrubs, that both exhaust the soil and cost 

 much labour to eradicate on the ground being again cultivated— 

 but this, to tell the truth, the Coonhees seldom do, contenting 

 themselves with burning them do\Mi and leaving the roots. Al- 

 though perfectly aware of the benefits of a dash of lime in the soil 

 they never think of loosening the stilf loams, or fertilizing the red 

 soils by that application. The garden cultivation presents no re- 

 markable feature save its slovenliness ; even from tobacco they 

 occasionally withhold manure— although both for it and red pep- 

 per cow-dung is generally used— but the employment of this sub- 

 stance for fuel materially interferes with its use as a means of 

 enriching the ground. A small quantity of 'pawn is cultivated at 

 Camlapoor. 



The size of farms is estimated by the number of ploughs. A 

 Coonbee with four ploughs is reckoned well conditioned — two 

 ploughs is the ordinary number belonging to one cultivator — but 

 he is deemed very poor if he can only muster one — eight 

 ploughs are looked on as a large farm, seldom- the tillage of the 

 mere Coonbee, but of the Zemindar, Putwarree, rich Brahmins, &c. 

 who may possess double the number or more. The cost of set- 

 ting up a couple of ploughs is estimated at a hundred rupees. 

 Hupees 50 for two pairs of bullocks with their harness, and ru- 

 pees 50 for the price of implements, seed, and for his subsistence 

 till his crop be mature. Twenty returns of rice is looked on as 

 a fair crop, and no more striking fact can show what unskilful 

 agriculturists they are. Much more, however, is looked for from 

 their dry grains, when, if the season be very favorable, 80 returns 

 are expected, but more commonly from sixty to forty is as much as 

 they reap. The yellow jowaree is very productive, but the Indian 

 corn, if the land has been properly tilled, exceeds all in pro- 

 ductiveness — a quarter of a maund sowing producing two to 

 one and a half Tcundees. A kundee of yellow jowaree from a 

 quarter of a maund of seed is regarded in the poonass as a very 

 good crop — and in the ruhhee the same quantity oi \Yh.ite Jowaree^ 



