CO882-(3-4) — Page 371

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference T

C.O. 882

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

NORTH CENTRAL PROVINCE.

Nuwarakalawiya district

Tamankaḍuwa district-

Tota!

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PADDY.

DET GRAIN.

Amunu.

10,000

Not taxed.

A cres. 20,000 Amunu. 500 Acres.

1,000

Acres. 21,000

do.

In the Western Province the amunam varies from two to nearly five acres in different districts; the average appears to be about two and a half acres or six bushels.

In the Central Province, one amunam equal to two acres universally in paddy; twenty acres in dry grain; except in Badulla district, where an acre of paddy varies from two to five pelas, average three pelas; in dry grain an acre equals one to three lahas.

In the Southern Province, one amunam equal to two and a half to three acres of paddy; ten to forty acres of dry grain.

"latchams" and In the Northern Province, sowing extent is reckoned by bushels

The amunam is unknown. "kullies," two and a half bushels being equal to an acre.

In the Eastern Province, one amunam equal to two and a half to three acres, equal to seven and a half bushels.

In the North-Western Province, one amunam equal to two to two and a half acres, equal to about five bushels.

In the North Central Province, one amunam equal to about two acres,

2. Are you in a position to say whether the land under (1) paddy cultivation, (2) taxable dry grain cultivation in your province has increased or decreased during the last 20 years? If so, to what extent has such cultivation respectively increased or decreased ?

What reasons can you assign for such increase or decrease ?

Generally speaking, it appears that paddy cultivation has increased during the last

20 years.

I. REASONS Assigned for INCREASE.

(a.) Restriction on chena cultivation.

(6.) Repairs (or promise of repairs) of tanks by Government.

(c.) Introduction of the irrigation scheme and inducement held out by Govern-

ment to cultivators.

(d.) Increase of population and industry.

Asweddumising of high ground for cultivation of hill paddy, &c.

Opening of roads and railway; the latter having taken away the occupation

of carters, boutique owners on Kandy road, &c.

(8.) Increased price of imported rice.

(h.) Introduction of bone manure.

(i.) Decrease in the average yield, so that larger areas are cultivated.

In some districts, however, there seems to have been a decrease, e.g., in the neighbour- hood of Negombo.

II. REASONS ASSIGNED FOR DECREASE.

(a.) More profitable kind of cultivation found in planting cocoa-nuts,

cinnamon, tobacco, cotton, &c.

(6.) Preference of natives for chena cultivation. (a) Deterioration of soil from want of manure, &c.

Batticaloa Want of labour and cattle.

district.

e.) Use of straw for cattle, horses, &c., instead of being left on the fields

to rot into manure.

(S) Want of irrigation works.

Rainfall supposed to be less, owing to the clearing of jungle, &c.

Other kinds of labour, such as road making, &c., being more profitable.

(i) Want of seed paddy.

(k.) Depopulation of country during a season of drought.

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In almost all parts of the country there has been a decrease in dry grain cultivation, owing to the restrictions imposed by Government, no Crown lands being allowed to be chenaëd. This decrease has caused a corresponding increase in paddy cultivation.

In the Galle district dry grain cultivation has almost entirely ceased. Want of rain is also assigned in some districts as the reason for the decrease of dry grain cultivation.

2. To what extent is there land in your province fit for paddy cultivation, and not

cultivated ?

What reason can you assign for such land not being brought under cultivation ?

WESTERN PROVINCE.

Fully one third of the arable lands of this province are said to be lying uncultivated. Reasons.-1. Want of water supply.

2. Want of labour, especially in the Bintenna districts of Sabaragamuwa.

3. Owing to thinness of the population people cannot protect their lands from the ravages of wild beasts.

4. Imported rice is cheaper in some parts than home-grown rice.

5. Want of capital, as paddy does not give sufficient return for investments. 6. Bad soil.

7. High rates (half, quarter, &c.), taken from certain lands by Government.

SOUTHERN PROVINCE.

Galle district, 10,000 to 12,000 acres; Mátara district, 5,000 acres; Hambantota district, not estimated.

Reasons. Much land in these districts is subject to inundations of brackish water In the Hambantota district which cannot be prevented except at an enormous cost. there are parts wholly uninhabited, and no labour can be procured to cultivate the lands, unless Government can induce people to immigrate from other parts, The Tissa- maharáma tank lately restored would give occupation to thousands.

CENTRAL PROVINCE.

Kandy district, about 1,000 acres; Nuwara Eliya district, about 650 acres; Mátalé district, about 10,000 acres.

Reasons. Want of water and irrigation works.

NORTHERN PROVINCE.

Jaffna district, not estimated; Mannár district, 18,500 acres; Mullaittivu district, 4,500 acres.

Reasons. Sparseness and poverty of population; sickness introduced by immigrant coolies; unhealthiness of many districts.

EASTERN PROVINCE.

Ten times the extent now cultivated might be made profitable, if labour, cattle, &c, could be imported and the tanks repaired.

NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCE.

Seven Koales, 100,000 acres of "Mud Land" only, besides a great quantity that might be cultivated for paddy. Puttalam district, 26,037 bushels.

Reasons. Want of water and irrigation works. The cultivators make breaches in the bunds to draw water and then do not repair them for want of supervision.

NORTH CENTRal Province.

18,000 acres might be brought into cultivation by the restoration of the village tanks only, while an area of 1,000 square miles might become most fertile by the construction of new irrigation works in connexion with the rivers Mabawiliganga and Ambanganga.

4. What suggestions can you make as to the best means of encouraging the further

cultivation of paddy?

Suggestions for encouraging Paddy Cultivation.

(1.) The restoration of existing irrigation works, and the erection of new ones.-- (2.) Free grants of land in districts where the population is sparse, to induce the poor of the more densely populated districts to settle under the large tanks, and so form a nucleus for a large future population.

A 694

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