DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2375#0213
208
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
CHAPTER
XVII.
March 10.
Maynasu
Canu, or
forests con-
taining spon-
taneous pep-
per.
the eastern parts toward Hully-halla, Sambrany, Madanuru, Munda*
godu, and Indurn, the woods consist mostly of Teak, and there are
no gardens. The cultivated articles on low lands are rice, Carlay
(Cicer Arietinum), and Horse-gram (Dollchos biflorus), and on the
dry-field Ragy (Cynosurus Corocanus), and Ellu (Sesamum). The
soil every where is tolerably free from stones. Although the rains
are not so heavy as below the Ghats, they are sufficient on level
land to bring to maturity one crop of rice. Little attention is paid
here to the tanks; and they are rather dams to collect the water
of small streams, or of springs, and to distribute it to the fields and
gardens, than reservoirs to collect the rain water.
The Haiga Brdhmans say, that all the forests spontaneously pro-
ducing pepper, with the gardens and rice fields intermixed, are their
private property. By an old valuation, a separate land-tax is affixed
on each kind of ground ; but on most of the properties, on account
of the depopulated state of the country, from one half to three
fourths of what was exacted by the Rayaru have been relinquished.
To manage a Maynasu Canu properly, requires the following labour.
Once a year the branches of the pepper vines must be tied up to
the trees, and these must be freed from all climbing plants, espe-
cially the Pothos scandens Lin. and the Acrostlchum scandens Buch:
MSS. both of which climb to the tops of the highest trees. Every
third year all the bushes ought to be cut down ; and every fifth
year the side branches of the trees should be lopped, to render them
proper supports for the vine, which thrives best on slender straight
trees. Where the trees are too distant, a branch or cutting ought
to be planted ; and if no young shoot of the pepper is near, a cutting
or two of the vine should be put into the earth near the young tree.
The pepper vine thus managed lives about ten years; when it dies,
another young shoot must be trained up in its stead. In doing this,
care must be taken to select shoots of a good kind ; for, as the birds
drop all the seeds promiscuously, shoots of the three different kinds
of pepper are to be found in these woods. These three kinds are
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
CHAPTER
XVII.
March 10.
Maynasu
Canu, or
forests con-
taining spon-
taneous pep-
per.
the eastern parts toward Hully-halla, Sambrany, Madanuru, Munda*
godu, and Indurn, the woods consist mostly of Teak, and there are
no gardens. The cultivated articles on low lands are rice, Carlay
(Cicer Arietinum), and Horse-gram (Dollchos biflorus), and on the
dry-field Ragy (Cynosurus Corocanus), and Ellu (Sesamum). The
soil every where is tolerably free from stones. Although the rains
are not so heavy as below the Ghats, they are sufficient on level
land to bring to maturity one crop of rice. Little attention is paid
here to the tanks; and they are rather dams to collect the water
of small streams, or of springs, and to distribute it to the fields and
gardens, than reservoirs to collect the rain water.
The Haiga Brdhmans say, that all the forests spontaneously pro-
ducing pepper, with the gardens and rice fields intermixed, are their
private property. By an old valuation, a separate land-tax is affixed
on each kind of ground ; but on most of the properties, on account
of the depopulated state of the country, from one half to three
fourths of what was exacted by the Rayaru have been relinquished.
To manage a Maynasu Canu properly, requires the following labour.
Once a year the branches of the pepper vines must be tied up to
the trees, and these must be freed from all climbing plants, espe-
cially the Pothos scandens Lin. and the Acrostlchum scandens Buch:
MSS. both of which climb to the tops of the highest trees. Every
third year all the bushes ought to be cut down ; and every fifth
year the side branches of the trees should be lopped, to render them
proper supports for the vine, which thrives best on slender straight
trees. Where the trees are too distant, a branch or cutting ought
to be planted ; and if no young shoot of the pepper is near, a cutting
or two of the vine should be put into the earth near the young tree.
The pepper vine thus managed lives about ten years; when it dies,
another young shoot must be trained up in its stead. In doing this,
care must be taken to select shoots of a good kind ; for, as the birds
drop all the seeds promiscuously, shoots of the three different kinds
of pepper are to be found in these woods. These three kinds are