Abstract

The Ceded District ryot is noted for his skill in the use of his cattle for a variety of agricultural operations. The soils of the tract are generally poor, the rainfall low and ill-distributed and the holdings extensive. The climate is also adverse and the ryot is naturally averse to much of human labour. While ploughing, carting, and mhoting where there are deep wells, are all the operations that cattle are set to do in other districts, the work cattle of the Ceded Districts are put to a much wider use. The work cattle draw heavy ploughs in teams of four to six pairs, while the ryots of the Tamil or Circars country think that such work can only be done by elephants. In this tract crushing big clods raised by the use of these ploughs is done by cattle power while in other districts to break much smaller clods raised by the wooden ploughs, manual labour is engaged. Where the stubbles of cotton and sorghum are dug out by manual labour elsewhere, the Ceded District ryot removes them over wide areas by a pleasure drive standing over a blade harrow worked by his cattle.

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