558 
THE TPtOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [February i, 1892. 
has taught us to regard the micati, perhf.ps nnjustly, 
" Like Btablcd wolves, or tigers at their prey, 
Doing abhorred ritee to Eeoate 
In their ohsoared haunts of innaost bowers." 
Is it really true ihat thoy have " mcny baits, and 
guileful spells t' inveigle and invite th' unwary senBC 
of them that pass unweating by the vray." We al- 
most wonder that a Commissicn, with Mr. Oook's 
local agent for ohairman, has not been appointed to 
sit on the arkati. Then we thould probably hear the 
arkati's view of the matter. — Pioneer. 
[There is muob in the above which will bo of 
special interest to the tea planters of Ceylon in the 
present orisis.— Ed. T. a.'] 
. ^ — 
AGHIOULTURE XN SI AM. 
In the Consular report on the trade of Siam during 
the past year, Mr. Beok'ett gives an interesting des- 
cription of the mode in which agricultural operations 
are carried on in that country. 
The system of agricultnre, he says, is of the most 
primitive description. At the commencement of the 
rains, about the first week in Mey, the Brahminioel 
custom* is etill followed of formally inaugurating the 
rioe-planticg season with sundry open air ceie- 
mcnies. An iLaugurator having been chosen by lot 
from amongst several nobles of rank, a bullock of the 
best breed is seleoied and decked with swcet-fimelling 
flowers, and the whole procession moves towards the 
plain of the psddy fields. The chosen chief then has 
placed before him three strips of cloth of different 
bi-eadthB, which he takes up and unfolds one by one. 
If the cloth thus taken is not more than fi,ur cubits 
broad, rains will come early and water will be plenti- 
ful ; if not more than five cubits broad the water 
supply will be up to the average ; and if six cuV'its 
broad, water will be scarce. This done, the master 
of ceremonies proceeds to stand by the plough with 
bullocks yoked, and with it makes a circuit three times 
in succession round a plot of Government pad^y-land, 
which an tlder present then sows with rice. After 
which. Brahmin priests place on a table near 
by three kinds of grain, with fruits of all kinds, 
and the bullock having been taken from the 
plough is allowed to eat of them. Of which- 
ever bind of fruit or grain the animal fate, that 
kind will be most plentiful during the coming year. 
This concludes the ceremony, and from this date the 
agriculturists are permitted to plough and cultivate 
their rice-plots. 
Of paddy -land under rice tillage there are two kinds, 
one called " Kbu Kho," extending from Nontiburi on 
the Northern outskirts of Bangkok to Pakniim on the 
south, and the other " Fak Loi,'.' from Nontaburi, 
northward to Intaburi, a short distance south of 
Chainat. The rice obtained from the former ia the so- 
called nasueu, or garden rioe, sown in nur; eries and 
planted out by hand. The annual tax on each rai, 20 
fathoms square, of this land is 24 atta 9d. Each rai 
is again subdivided into four parts called " ngan," of 
100 square fathoms each, on which the tax U 8 atts 
(3d.) on e«ch " ngan " 'below three. The rice reaped 
from the "Fak Loi" land is named " na miiang," or 
field rice, which is eown broad-cast and left to grov/ as 
sown. The tax in IG atts (6d.) on each rai, and 8 atts 
(3d.) on each "ngan" above two. It is impossible to 
ascffrtain the area of land in Siam under rice cultiva- 
tion, owing to the ui;systematio manner in which the 
laijd taxes are collected. 
The Siamese ngrionlturist has no idea of the rotation 
of the crops. If be has not .sufficient cripital of hia own, 
bo obtiiius at hiiih interest an advance larye enough 
tocovurthe expenses of planting, ploughing, and h«r- 
rowiug duririg the six montlis in which he 
iu compelled to work. During the reran ioing six 
months the generality of husbandmen in Siam dis- 
Bipate their carningH in the local gambling bouses, 
• Brahmins and Brahminical customs in the Buddhist 
country of Siam just as wo have tho mainly Hindu 
Pcrabera in Coylon. — Ed, T. A- 
The ownership of land is mostly hereditary, remain- 
ing in the hands of one family for many genera- 
tions. European traders, as a rule, refrain from 
making advances to the tigrieulturists, on account 
of the insecurity of the investment. Rice is sown 
yoor after year on the same ground. Itrigatiou is 
almost totally disregarded. If tho rice-land is adjacent 
to one of tho numerous creeks, either natural or 
artificial, intersecting the country, tho owners may 
consider themeelves fortunate; but there is no op- 
operation amongst those whose rice-plots are at ^ 
diiitai.ce from the water-courses; The Siamese peasant 
is slow to take up new methods, and even if European 
machinery were to be introduced, ho would look on 
the experiments with distrust. He ii equally careless 
about his grass or pasture land, taking no trouble 
to sow good seed or hedge round a grazing ground 
of his own ; but allov/s hia cattle to roam at will over 
the thinly populated country districts. The pasturage 
io the common property of the village. Tho cattle 
graze there until the rice-crop has been gathered, 
when they are turned cut to browse on the stubble. In 
addition to rice, teel-seed, hemp, tobacco, fugaroane. 
cotton fruit, and vegetitbles are also cultivated, 
Harap grows extensively in the districts of Petchaburi 
to tho south-west, and is tended by the Laos and' 
Siamese peasnnta of that province. A tax is levied 
equal to one-fifth of the value. The drug is smoked 
largely by the paddy cultivattors. Tobacco is grown 
ia 42 districts of Siam, and ia one, of the most impoit&nt 
Icea' industriee. 
The Siam tobacco plant is so^^n in September by the 
Chinese cultivator, and the leaves are gathered in 
December. After gathering the leaf isleft to ferment 
it- some dark place during three or four days, end 
tubaeqneutly brought to a certain degree of ripeness 
by exposure to the night dews. In Deli, the difficulties 
encountered are the lack of proper coolie labour and 
nttaokfl on the plants and leaves by earth-grubs. In 
Siam, if planting were to be undertaken by Europeans, 
the same would be found. The Siamese coolie is 
lazy and untrustworthy, and Ohineae could only be 
engaged by paying them in proportion to the re- 
eults of their work, and by cultivating gocd relations 
\Mth the local governors. The quality of Siam tobacco 
differs according to tbe districts in which it grows. In 
many cases the salt absorbed interferes with the burning 
properties of the leaf. The best leaf comes from the 
Petchabnu, from Kanburi and from Nakhoneawan. 
The coffee shrub is as yet but little cultivated in 
Siam. The slopes of the hills at Chantabun and Korat 
ore spoken of as highly favourable to the growth of the 
1 erry ; and in view of the contemplated railway 
to the latter place, planters might considtr, Mr. 
Beckett thinks, the venture worth at least a 
trial: The low-lying land in and aronnd Bangok 
is well adapted for the culture of fruit, 
cf which the most common varieties aro :— Mango, 
durian, rambutan, pommelow, orange, jack fruit, 
mangosteen, bananas, custard and pine-applec, and 
many others. Plantations of fruit-bearing trees are 
subject to annual taxation, assessed once in each reign 
on a scale ba.sed on the circumference and height of 
the troes. The assessment is made regardless of new 
trees that may have been planted, or old trees that 
may have died oS during the interval. The con- 
sumption of fruit is almost entirely local, the pro- 
ddco being hawked about on river and land, chiefly 
by women. 
If, continues Mr. Beckett, agriculture in Siam is one 
of tho most primitive character, the condition of local 
industries is still less developed., being confined to 
weaving of silk and cotton native cloths, the manu- 
facture of native paper from bark of the " khoi" 
tree, tbe making and colouring of tiles for use ou 
the numerous (emple roofs, and the manufacture of 
earthen jars afl receptscles for water, workin j iu gnld 
and silver, mat-woaving, and a few olhers. The 
carpentering and boat-building trades are carried on 
by seme Siamese, but Obinese are superior at these 
handicrafts. Tho latter also monopolise the bricklay- 
ing, tinkering, dyeing, and similar industries. Most 
Siamese prefer to attach themselves to tho person of 
