[Method of cultivation.] The Lhota is above all an agriculturist.
Rarely does his ambition extend beyond a bumper crop. Service under
Government has few attractions for him. Even if he takes a post he
often throws it up after a year or two and says he would rather go back
and live in his village and cultivate his land. Rice is the staple food
of the tribe and is far and away the most important crop grown. The
method of cultivation is that known as “jhuming.” A piece of jungle is
cut and burnt, and the land cultivated for two years and then allowed
to go back to jungle, under which it remains for a period varying from
four to fifteen years. If a man is short of land he obviously has to
cultivate each piece at shorter intervals. If he is the lord of wide
acres the intervals are longer. The bigger the jungle is allowed to
grow the more will mould accumulate and the thicker will be the deposit
of ash when it is burnt. On an average among the Lhotas a piece of land
is cultivated once in ten years. The whole village cultivates in one
block, each man having his own piece of land. Isolated patches of
cultivation would merely provide food for wild pig, monkeys and other
pests. The jungle is cut about December. [75] (The times of
agricultural operations vary a good deal according to the height and
climate of the village concerned.) When the time comes to begin
operations each man goes to his land and clears a little piece of
jungle. Should he see a snake while so occupied he probably runs home
as fast as his legs will carry him, for he would die were he to
cultivate that piece of land. If no such evil omen occurs he cuts a
stake, sets it up, cuts a notch in the side, puts a little earth from a
worm-cast in the notch and goes home. This is regarded as a sort of
oath that the owner proposes to clear that piece of jungle. He
carefully notes what dreams he has that night. Sometimes he puts a twig
from the jungle in question under his head. A bad dream would be enough
to make him select another piece of land for that year. On the day when
he puts up the stake he must not eat meat from a tiger’s kill or the
flesh of dog, goat or cattle. His wife may cook his food for him, but
he must eat separately from her in the morning, having remained chaste
the night before. In clearing the jungle everyone takes part—men, women
and children. A man helps his friends and they help him. The jungle is
cleared from the bottom of the slope upwards. Bushes and saplings are
cut close to the ground. Big trees are left standing, but thin branches
are trimmed so that they shall not shade the crop. Usually a bunch of
leaves is left growing at the top of big trees of which the other
branches are pruned away. Lhotas attach no particular significance to
this practice; but among the Aos it appears to be followed only by rich
men. [76]