Abstract

Pine-apples are cultivated on the slopes of the hill at Simhachalam, which is nearly 1,000 feet above the sea level. The place belongs to the Simhachalam Devasthanam under the management of the Vizianagaram Estate. The Estate gives the hill slopes for the cultivation of the pine- apples on lease generally for a term of ten years at a rental of Rs. 10 per acre per annum with a stipulation that the lessee should plant and grow at least 10 trees per acre of jack, mango, and cashewnut during that period. Generally the land is to be surrendered at the expiry of the ten years' period, as by that time, the soil would have been depleted and the trees would have grown up and shaded the land too much to allow of further successful culti- vation of pine-apples. In rare cases the term of lease is extended for a further period of ten years, when fresh planting is made.

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