96 A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER the original sugar-cane of the country : the Puttftputti was intro- 
duced from Arcot by Mustapti A ly Khan , who in the reign of Hyder 
May 20, &c. was Tosha Khany , or Paymaster General. The cultivation of Restali 
has ever since been gradually declining. 
Cultivation. When the ground is to be cultivated for sugar-cane, it is watered 
three days, and then for the same length ot time it is allowed to 
dry. During the next eight days it must be ploughed five times, 
and the clods must be beaten small with a kind of pick-ax, called Col 
Kudali (see Plate II. Fig. 3.). The i eld must then be manured, 
and ploughed a sixth time. The ground now rests fifteen days ; 
after which, in the course of one or two days, it must be ploughed 
twice, and then be allowed eight days more rest. It is afterwards 
ploughed a ninth time. These operations occupy forty-four days ; 
six more are employed in planting the cane, which is done by the 
instrument called Telia Kudali (see Plate II. Fig. 4.). With this 
the field is divided into beds of about six cubits wide, see (a) Fig. 7. 
These beds are separated by small trenches (b), which are about 
fourteen inches wide, and eight deep. In every alternate trench 
are dug small wells (c) about two feet deep. The water from the 
canal flows through all the trenches, and, a quantity of it lodging 
in these wells, is taken out with pots for watering the plants by the 
hand. Across every bed, at the distance of a cubit, are dug five 
holes (d) about six inche in diameter, and three in depth. In each 
of these are placed horizontally two cuttings of the cane, each 
containing three joints. These are covered slightly w T ith earth, 
over which is laid some dung. When the cane is planted in Chaitra, 
the trenches must be filled with water from the tank, and every 
hole must be watered by pots. At the other seasons the trenches 
are full, it being the rainy weather; but even then, for one month, 
the holes containing the canes must daily be watered by the hand. 
The earth in the holes is then stirred up with a stick, and a little 
dung is. added. Next month the daily watering must be continued, 
and at the end of it the whole field must be dug up with the Telia 
