Abstract

The nucleus for scientific agriculture was formedin 1865 by Sir, Charles Dension, then Governor of Madras. Sir Arthur Cotton, the greatest Engineer-benefactor of India, while on furlough in England previled upon Messrs.Ransom and Jeffries, Agricultural Engineers, to demonstrate labor-saving tools,machines,etc.,used in English Agriculture.a large consigament of ploughs, harrows, seed drills,sickles, harvesting machines etc. were received by the Government of Madras for demonstrative education. After several vicissitudes the services of Mr.W.R.Robertson were secured for the purpose. He established an experimental farm and an Agricultural college at saidapet. and laid the foundation for thee present day activity in agricultural reforms. The controlling authorities were still sceptical for a long time about improed sys tems of husbandry.: no definite policy was enunciated and no methodical work was undertaken. The fragmentary results of successes were never popularised for assimilation. The Indian cultivator was pronounced to be stupid, illitrate and conservative and he was judged unfit for progress. The merits of his conservation and the sagacious economy locked up in his so-called stupidity never appealed to officials in their aloofness. Thus both of them were never on one common platform. There- was no hearty co-operation for common good. The ryots are evevn now suspicious of the well intentioned ways of Government. The position was graphically described by Sir F.A. Nicholson in his report on Agricultural Committee in 1888 : The "organ of 1865 concived in error. born by clance, bred up by accident,developed by starvation, and guided by change, never had any vigorous vitality."

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