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At one point, clearly visible from a distance, we found the grass had been cut in a wide circle both above and below the path. This is done at the end of the clearing in order to show other villages that this important job has been done in time. Wakching has planted some fields around here already five years in a row to save the trouble of clearing. (85) The result then is that they have to lie fallow for fifteen to sixteen years. Only where the soil is as fertile as it is on these slopes is it possible to plant the jhum fields as continuously as it is done here. In general Shiong only plants the same fields two or at most three years in a row. |
