The state herald., 1908-07-24

crop. Rice will grow and thrive In
plenty OF water but will wither and
die should the soil become dry.
Should the rains. however. keep on
and the water In his fields sink lower
and lower and threaten to dry up al
together. no words can describe the
anxiety OF the cultivator; the shadow
OF ruin and famine may be seen deep
ering on his countenance day by day
How eagerly he scans the face Of the
sky. and prays to his gods for copious
showers.
Observing the drought, the rice
merchant Is alive to possibilities; he
will study the weather forecasts, and
II the conditions for rain are unfavor.
able. he will Immediately put up the
price Of grain. Should the drought be
prolonged the prices win 20 higher
ard higher. Now the crops on the
higher lands will all turn yellow and
die.
At such times great suffering en-.
sues to the poor. who have no store of
grain. but have TO buy their daily sup.
ply whatever the price may be. In
such times of scarcity II In not un
common for them TO 70 with only one
meal n day. You see them grow thin.
ner and weaker day By day, until
many fall an easy prey to disease and
fever; this, bear In mind. is the con.
dition OF things when there is merely
a scarcity OF food.
What Is the terrible PLIGHT of the
people when the crops fail altogether
no pen can describe; then thousand
and hundreds OF thousands droop and
die, As soon as II becomes known
that there is scarcity In any part OF
the country test works are started
and II the people flock TO these relief
works In such numbers as TO make n
evident that famine conditions are
prevailing. larger schemes OF relief
works are set on foot. and charity is
enlisted on behalf Of those too feeble
to work; but. notwithstanding all that
can be done. famine is condition 40
terrible that words cannot describ. A.
Bengal. however. is u highly favored
land. as famlnes In that province are
OF very rare occurrence, should the
drought be but temporary. the peasant
cndca,ora 10 keep alive his cropn by
manual irrigation IN the grateful
showers fall. With eopious nhowers
the rico crop win grow rapidly. and
In the course Of three mon,hs or so n
golden hnrves, will cover the land.
Al last the time Of r.aping has
come. All the vast harycsts Of Benval
are f.apcd by the Misunderstanding mn.
chimes ase unknown In IN. country,
and were they known. the capital .s.
pendulum" involved In their purehaao
would be Tar beyond the means OF III.
poor eul,iyator. Then. too, IN. en-.
bnnhmcn,s in'.fnccting the nelds
would present great obstacles To their
use. so the peasant ndh-res To IN.
old custom praotieed from tim. i'm.
memorial OF cutting his crop by hand,
This method may be slow, but II IL
surs and cheap.
Th. alckiez used are barely larger
than hooked knives. each sspara,.
TUT Of fieeataikz IN caught In the left
hand and cut with the sickle In III.
rlsht This handful IL then laid aside
'o dry and the next Ii taken In hand.
10 handful by handful tho whole of
the crop Ia cut.
When !, II sufficiently dry. II IL tied
In small Hhrayea and cart.d 10 III.
homestead, Subsequently The rice M.
Iivss at the market, and Is bought M
by merchants. who send II 10 the large
rities: there II IL stored In huge anan.
titles until the prices improve. Grain.
merchants M a class are exceedingly
r, IL EDwAitbs !