DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2374#0394
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A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
CHAPTER
XL
Dec. 1—4.
Distemper
among the
cattle.
Stock of
cattle.
Estimate of
the propor-
tion of land
giving two
crops.
morning, and from two to six in the evening. In the sowing season
they ate wrought an hour longer. In the same space of time the
dx performs somewhat more labour than the buffalo; but the buf-
falo, having more strength, is capable of turning up stiffer soils
than the ox can do. The male buffaloes, intended for labour, are
emasculated when they are between five and six years of age. The
two kinds of Cattle are fed much in the same manner. The quan-
tity of milk given by the female buffalo here does not exceed that
given by the cow, and it is reckoned of an inferior quality: both
are, however, generally mixed for making butter, which among the
natives of Malabar is very bad and nasty.
Last year, for five months, the distemper prevailed among both
kinds of cattle, but was most severe upon the buffaloes. It is said
to have carried off about one half of the whole stock, but the loss
is perhaps greatly exaggerated.
According to Mr. Warden's returns, the number of cattle of the
ox kind in his districts amounts to $9,575, and of the buffalo kind
to 11,762, in all 51,337. The number of ploughs which these work
amounts to 14,433. It must be observed, that the farmers esti-
mated a plough to be capable of cultivating 40 Forays of low
(Paddum) land, probably including the small portion of arable
high (Parumba) land which falls to each man's share, in proportion
nearly to the extent of the low lands that he occupies, and which,
requiring little comparative labour, would add about 2 Forays to
each plough. Now on this supposition, which cannot be very erro-
neous, the number of ploughs in the district could only cultivate
577,39,0 Forays of low land (Dhanmurry). Mr. Warden's estimate
makes the Porays actually cultivated 758,460. This I have cor-
rected, by allowing one fourth of the low land called Ubayum to be
cultivated twice a year, to 613,205 Porays ; but it is probable, that
I have under-rated the extent of land producing two crops : the
difference, however, on the data given is very small; in place of
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
CHAPTER
XL
Dec. 1—4.
Distemper
among the
cattle.
Stock of
cattle.
Estimate of
the propor-
tion of land
giving two
crops.
morning, and from two to six in the evening. In the sowing season
they ate wrought an hour longer. In the same space of time the
dx performs somewhat more labour than the buffalo; but the buf-
falo, having more strength, is capable of turning up stiffer soils
than the ox can do. The male buffaloes, intended for labour, are
emasculated when they are between five and six years of age. The
two kinds of Cattle are fed much in the same manner. The quan-
tity of milk given by the female buffalo here does not exceed that
given by the cow, and it is reckoned of an inferior quality: both
are, however, generally mixed for making butter, which among the
natives of Malabar is very bad and nasty.
Last year, for five months, the distemper prevailed among both
kinds of cattle, but was most severe upon the buffaloes. It is said
to have carried off about one half of the whole stock, but the loss
is perhaps greatly exaggerated.
According to Mr. Warden's returns, the number of cattle of the
ox kind in his districts amounts to $9,575, and of the buffalo kind
to 11,762, in all 51,337. The number of ploughs which these work
amounts to 14,433. It must be observed, that the farmers esti-
mated a plough to be capable of cultivating 40 Forays of low
(Paddum) land, probably including the small portion of arable
high (Parumba) land which falls to each man's share, in proportion
nearly to the extent of the low lands that he occupies, and which,
requiring little comparative labour, would add about 2 Forays to
each plough. Now on this supposition, which cannot be very erro-
neous, the number of ploughs in the district could only cultivate
577,39,0 Forays of low land (Dhanmurry). Mr. Warden's estimate
makes the Porays actually cultivated 758,460. This I have cor-
rected, by allowing one fourth of the low land called Ubayum to be
cultivated twice a year, to 613,205 Porays ; but it is probable, that
I have under-rated the extent of land producing two crops : the
difference, however, on the data given is very small; in place of