Indian Science and Technology in the Eighteenth Century: Some Contemporary European Accounts c20.4

c20.4

Agriculture is the art of cultivating the ground. It is the art of raising all kinds of trees, plants, fruits and grains.¹ It is in fine the most effectual and expeditious method of procuring abundant harvests. This system cannot be perfect without the use of a considerable number of tools and instruments, and of animals subdued to labour. The system will be more or less laborious and troublesome, according to the nature of the climate and soil. These are simple and obvious propositions to which every one will give his assent. It is necessary however that they should be remembered in the course of the following remarks. The state of agriculture in Malabar will form a strong contrast, with that of the first Husbandmen, who had neither ploughs nor beasts of burden. It will also be admitted, that the art of cultivating the soil is the most important of human labours. It is the first step in the progress of civilisation: a compact and numerous population is the result of the industry and ingenuity which produces food.