The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-30
Flowing in India


ton of improving the condit on of tie
Indian peasantry is now being made,
says a l4ondon pal er 1t tdiilerS from all
the suggestions OF quacks and i'll in
formed philanthropiss, ina,mnch as 1t
is thoroughly pra tica. and res deep,
both literally and tigmatively, to the
root Of the evils OF the ryot $ fife. 1t Is.
in fact, the introduction of IA light iron
plow. ndia, whi h ought to lie one of
the wealth est countries of the world, is
bowed down by the burden of bank
rupt peasantry. No political mal-ad-
ministration is at the bottom of this
bankruptcy. 1t is not tracea lie TO any
OF the ordinary so rces alleged for such
phenomena -feudalism. absentee land
lords, legislative oblquties, or race
preiu lice. 1t is simply the hereditary
and natu al condition of the Ind an
ryot For many generations his ances.
tors had starved off the same patch of
land, so why should not he, their de-
scendant, do just as they did, and
star,e tooP The question sounds absurd
enough when wri ten down in English;
but the native of In liza sees no absurd
ity N il. v hen the Vienna Exhibition
was opened the Madras Government
sent representative. and among the
other notes which the official made of
exhibits likely to be useful IN India was
light iron plow sold by Swed sh firm
at the low price of sixteen shillings.
Some OF these We're introduced into the
presidency, and ryotS coaXed into using
them. The result is that supplies are
now regularly imported every year, and
the Madras peasant has taken tho first
practical step toward class improve
ment by giving the soil far chance OF
doing its best.
The usual "plow" employed by the
Indian ryot is Il wooden implement of
pathetic simplicity. 1t is ingeniously
constructed so as to disturb the soil
through which 1t moves as little as pos
sible, and give the plowman as mucn
unnecessary WORK rs possible. The
lightness Of the misshapen and primi-
tive instrument is no doubt an advan.
tage when the cult vator wishes to carry
his plow home on his shoulder; but for
the purpose in which il is employed,
the turning up Of the subso |, the frlvo-
lous, ricketiy thing is as inappropriate
as could well be imagined. The ryot,
however, is not so sure o. this, and his
arguments are characteristic of him
He says that this identical plOw, or an
other ON which it was copied, suiliced
his forelathers. and is good enough for
all his neighbors. Why. then, should
he discont. ntedP Nor must it be
forgotten that the Hindoo's protests in
favor Of routine are occasionally sup
ported by The well meant but iniudi-
cious efforts of ph lanthrolists to
"ameliorate their condition" As an
instance may be cted the case in the
north OF India, where the agricultural
department urged upon public attention
the enormous advantages TO be antici-
pated from deep plowing.
A magnificent plow OF the very largest
size and very latest pattern was sent on
trial. and the usual convention of agri-
culuralists assembled by order An
impjltan official explained the benefits
oil deep plowing, and then the expert
ment commenced. A stalwart pair of
government bullocks had been specially
| provided, and these were now urged to
proceed by much twisting Of tails and
personal calumny. The bullocks,
however, having had their tails nearly
twisted of many times before, and
having heard all that could possibly
be invented in abuse Of their relatives,
both living and deceased, on many
previous occasions, were as Indifferent
TO physical violence rs to reGections
upon the moral character of their
parents. So another pair were added,
and by and by another: then niue
was impressed into the service, and so
on, until considerable string of ami
mails was attached TO the implement.
Eventually, ter scene of the utmost
excitement and vociferation, and clouds
OF dust and a tempest of yclls, the
patent plough began t) move. Re-
doubled ella nor and castigation greeted
this achievement, and, as the astOnished
aud terrified team plunged forward all
together, the huge instrument slipped
from the control Of the ploug imen,
who were hanging on 10 the handles.
and the glitterng share gave leap
and pierced its way at sharp angle
some four feet deep into the earth.
The sudden disappearance OF the huge
blade under ground was applauded by
the intelligent natives as a triumph.
and very great, therefore, was their
bewilderment when they saw all the
animals being solemnly yoked to the
other end of the plough-in order to
get it out of the ground again, At this
point farmer who had arrived late
came upon the scene. He had not
heard the preliminary explanations
about the advantages Of deep plough
ing, and was trying to draw his own
conclusions as TO the meaning of the
spectacle before him-three pairs OF
bullocks and mule yoked TO the
wrong end of plough-when an
official accosted him with, "Well, Ram
Lal, and wnat do you think of itp"
The man bowed low. Providence,
said he, knows everything. But what
should slave like me understand of
such matters? Yet it may be that these
are-freworks!'-BoSiOH Herald.