DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2375#0052
MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR. 43
Christians. Their method is as follows. Between the 14th of De- CHAPTER
xiv.
cember and the 11th of January the ground, for four successive \^^xr^j
days, has a double ploughing, and, after each, is smoothed with the Jan'22»
plank drawn by oxen. Then, with a hoe, called Haray (Plate XXI.
Fig*. 56), parallel channels are formed, at the distance of every 8
or 10 cubits. At right angles to these, and contiguous to each
other, are formed trenches three quarters of a cubit deep, half a
cubit wide at the bottom, and one cubit and a half at the top. The
field is then manured with dung and straw; which, after they have
been spread on the field, are burned; so that, in fact, the manure
is ashes. The canes for seed are then cut into pieces, from half to
three quarters of a cubit long; and these are soaked in water a
whole day and a night. On the day after the manure has been
burned on the field, the soil in the bottom of the trenches is
loosened with the hoe, and mixed with the ashes; and with these
united the joints of the cane are slightly covered. They are placed
horizontally, two and two, in lines parallel to the trenches; and
the ends of one pair touch the ends of the two adjacent pairs. The
field is then watered, the channels being filled from a tank, or well,
by means of the machine called Yatam. Except when there is
rain, it must be watered every fourth day, speaking as a medical
man; that is to say, if it be watered on the 1st day of a month, it
will be watered again on the 4th, 7th, 10th, and so forth. A com-
post having been formed of rich mould, dung, and dry grass,- it is
burned; and on the ]5th day from planting the ashes are spread
over the field. At the end of the month, the weeds are removed
by the hand, and with a small instrument named Sulingy. At the
same time, the young canes are again manured with the burnt com-
post. At the end of the second month, if the cane has a sickly
colour, it is again manured. The rains commence about that time,
and then the earth from the intermediate ridges is gathered up
round the young canes; which thus, in place of being in trenches,
stand on the top of ridges. The field must then be well fenced.
Christians. Their method is as follows. Between the 14th of De- CHAPTER
xiv.
cember and the 11th of January the ground, for four successive \^^xr^j
days, has a double ploughing, and, after each, is smoothed with the Jan'22»
plank drawn by oxen. Then, with a hoe, called Haray (Plate XXI.
Fig*. 56), parallel channels are formed, at the distance of every 8
or 10 cubits. At right angles to these, and contiguous to each
other, are formed trenches three quarters of a cubit deep, half a
cubit wide at the bottom, and one cubit and a half at the top. The
field is then manured with dung and straw; which, after they have
been spread on the field, are burned; so that, in fact, the manure
is ashes. The canes for seed are then cut into pieces, from half to
three quarters of a cubit long; and these are soaked in water a
whole day and a night. On the day after the manure has been
burned on the field, the soil in the bottom of the trenches is
loosened with the hoe, and mixed with the ashes; and with these
united the joints of the cane are slightly covered. They are placed
horizontally, two and two, in lines parallel to the trenches; and
the ends of one pair touch the ends of the two adjacent pairs. The
field is then watered, the channels being filled from a tank, or well,
by means of the machine called Yatam. Except when there is
rain, it must be watered every fourth day, speaking as a medical
man; that is to say, if it be watered on the 1st day of a month, it
will be watered again on the 4th, 7th, 10th, and so forth. A com-
post having been formed of rich mould, dung, and dry grass,- it is
burned; and on the ]5th day from planting the ashes are spread
over the field. At the end of the month, the weeds are removed
by the hand, and with a small instrument named Sulingy. At the
same time, the young canes are again manured with the burnt com-
post. At the end of the second month, if the cane has a sickly
colour, it is again manured. The rains commence about that time,
and then the earth from the intermediate ridges is gathered up
round the young canes; which thus, in place of being in trenches,
stand on the top of ridges. The field must then be well fenced.