30 
On the Rent and Produce of Land in India. 
[J.iN. 
X . — On the Rent and Net Produce of Land in India. 
To the Editor of the Gleanings in Science. 
Sir, 
A good deal of discussion has lately taken place in the Calcutta papers regarding 
agricultural matters, and the practicability of Europeans succeeding in a speculation 
of this nature, either in investing property in the purchase of lands, or as a mere 
farmer or labourer who rents as much soil as he can undertake to manage with his 
ordinary and limited means ; and as some interest seems to be excited on the sub- 
ject, permit me to say a few words, wliich, coming from this quarter, may prove of 
some service in elucidation of the point under discussion. 
A pergannah here consists of about 100 villages, 8 or 10 of which pay 3 or i 
rupees per biga annually to the Government, while the rest pay about 12 annas: 
t ie former villages appear to have no particular advantage as to soil, canals, rivers, 
wells, or natural products, and yet the inhabitants seem much more comfortable 
than the latter. These high rented and comfortable villages are generally possessed 
by Jats, who, without doubt, are the best farmers in the Upper Provinces; and if they 
can manage to raise the produce of the land so superior to their neighbours, may 
we not suppose capital could be advantageously employed in the remaining part of 
the pergunnah, which appears to be so backward, and Consisting in the greater part 
and b > r outstripping the Jat, derive a profit sufficient to satisfy 
every moderate wish. 3 
liablT ton. p e r Vh ° Wish inVCSt Capital in the P urcbas e of land, I may add, that land 
thi c hS,® ST 1 assessment is to be had here for about 1 Rupee per bign , 
procure in anl Iable ^ . a J 6 or 7 Ru P^ per biga s the latter not 
have invested neoneri'? ' \’i " n , t lC r, S Rts probably not safe. A number of people 
well manafrpd v t / ' m 16 j(,riner i and although their villages are by no means 
amount of ^ f 1 ^ they derive a very ample revenue after 'paying the 
be taken to sernrJ 5S ^ n i? mde Government. In purchasing lands, care should 
interests here - at * lsaw “ dar * e as well as Zumeendaree rights, both separate 
ed it ,e b or T r ’ are like, y * ^getS^Sble 1 C2UST"" "'“ oha '' c mereiy purchaa ' 
counrn 7n !n^I hetlier ^“^pciui labourer could compete with the native in 1 1, is 
forme7as well of the su Penor accommodation and food required by the 
accommodation T i r d f ad Y anta S es of climate. To the objection on the score of 
woZbfconsideOdf; I ^ 1° ^ ^ ° pinion ’ that * ^msteading, such as 
ScoUand, could be erec£d Mudif’ 8 ' 1 ta 
dence for himself and family and huts < r £1 i ,ncIud \ n g a proper resi- 
dined to believe it will be fouAd to re 6 t ia favoTr „f ,l?.' "c “ t ?. the , food ' 1 »>» in- 
ed in ghi, and accompanied bv a not of boiled o natives, bis cakes well steep- 
Scotchrnan’s hard wato porridge and T at least equal to the 
which in Scotland is generally carried tn tto. ,? i !‘ aS J ! e butt ernailk to himself, 
Thursdays make the Whole produce of m\lk into 7/J 0“?’ the nati ves on 
and sugar,) which forms a banquet for that k 'S' k boiled U P with rice 
flesh meat, small farmers have little oftl. 0 d a * nCar tw ? succeed ing days. As to 
it is in this country, it is selling here in the partlcular occasions; such as 
lbs. for the Rupee. I suspect your Calcutta writort^ ‘L* the r * te of ? ne maund or 80 
of emigrants from the Dandy European tK * sub J ect tft ke their specimen 
Calcutta course, sporting their buggies and ul % ° C< j aS1 ? n . a Y to be seen on the 
make the following extract from the 5 and wbile 1 
of what is considered food for a family ofsivT.c. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 
due be t lnc Ened to take a somewhat diffLent^iew^fTb^ laIreland > 1 expect they 
duced to make further enquiries. Food tor , f i 1 subject, or at least lie in- 
the world? Ver ^ -« ^ 
stand the sun and cbmate“The B exccssiie n |,° f t ‘'a F ' llr0 !' c “" not being aide io 
emnlovcTt'-.rw Se P““ber, must be very tevTnn tn"" 5 ‘' ie rl ? u « hin K Jonth, of 
employed with Europeans and natives -.t aii g U an Y constitution. I have been 
E d ” « “fble of bearing fati^ 1 LTC’ *"f ' fecl ™6<k M Z for- 
neard it confidently stated that th,> i? 1 e latter > under exposure ; and I have 
han’a 'k [ rierd:s are niore hardy than those 'at* peans on the Madras' and'llmnhay 
airac s, an instance of something of Hip wbo are kept tattied in their 
6 the kind 1 witnessed myself in a battery, 
