198
Peninsula ; isjeeroo, consjaina (Mal) kinnab (Arab),
and Bin (Burma).
5 and 6. Vide my answer to question 3.
7. Cultivation of the hemp plant is carried on
in parts of this division, chiefly in Duggupadu
and Pusapadoo, Bapatla taluk
—
(a) for production of ganja;
(b) for use as bhang ;
(c) for its seeds, and perhaps for fibre. The
seeds are said to be occasionally used
for feeding milk cows.
Information as to the extent of cultivation in
the taluks of the division is not available, except
for Bapatla taluk, where it is reported to be as
follows :—
F. 1298 . . .
. Ac. 346— 5— 2
F. 1299
. . .
. Ac. 170—21— 0
F. 1300 . . .
. Ac. 176—6:3
F. 1301 (famine year). No cultivation.
F. 1302 . . .
. Ac. 101—37
8. As far as Bapatla taluk is concerned, the
figures given above seem to indicate that the area
under hemp cultivation is gradually decreasing.
But I am inclined to think that these figures are
not reliable. Prior to 1889, the cultivation of the
hemp plant and preparation of drugs from ganja
had not been regulated by any system of rules laid
down by the Government. In 1889, the provi
- s i o n s o f t h e A b k a r i A c t r e l a t i n g t o t h e r e t a i l v e n d
of hemp drugs were brought into force, no restric-
tions being, however, imposed upon the cultivation
of the plant or the possession of preparation made
from the same. In the first year of the enforce-
ment of these provisions, ganja, shops were licensed
on payment or an annual fee of Rs. 15. In the
next year (1890), the license fee was enhanced to
Rs. In 1890, the fixed licensed fee system was
replaced by the auction system, which still contin-
ues. Though the revenue is comparatively small,
yet it has been rapidly increasing year after year.
One fact has become patent from the results of the
last three years' auction sales, and that is, that
there is very keen competition for the privilege of
vend, and that people are prepared to offer large
sums for the monopoly of it. This shows that
there is a possibility of large future developments
in the trade in hemp drugs, and the hypothesis
that the cultivated area is gradually decreasing
must necessarily be wrong.
9. It is said that the hemp plant is cultivated
like the chilly seed. Beds are first formed and the
seedlings transplanted after they attain a certain
height.
10. The raiyats who cultivate hemp do not con-
stitute a special class. The ordinary agricultural
cultivators grow the plants partly for domestic use
and partly for sale to retail dealers.
11. The practice of growing the plants from the
seed of the wild hemp does not seem to obtain here.
12. No information is available.
13. No restrictions have been placed in this presi-
dency upon the growth of the hemp plant. The
enquiries instituted by the Board through the
Collectors in 1887 have elicited the information
that the plant is cultivated in most districts of the
presidency only in the back-yards of houses for
domestic use, and that it is grown extensively only
in the districts of Godavari, Cuddapah, Kurnool,
North Arcot, South Arcot, Tinnevelly and Kistna.
11. Ganja and bhang are prepared in parts of
t hi s di vi si on. Ganj a shops i n t he fol l owi ng pl aces
in this division have been sold this year by public
auction :—(i) Guntoor town, two shops, (ii) Man-
golagiri, one shop, (iii) Seetangaram, one shop, (iv)
Sattinapolli, one shop, (v) Daggupadu, one shop.
It is said that charas is a preparation peculiar to
Northern India and is not used.
15. Vide reply to question 2. Ganja is gene-
rally used for smoking and bhang for drinking pur-
poses.
16. It appears that bhang consumers generally
prepare the drink in their houses, A knowledge of
preparation of hemp drugs is limited to towns and
surrounding parts. It cannot, therefore, be said
that bhang is prepared from the hemp plant where-
ever it is grown. I am not aware whether ganja
or charas is also prepared from the wild plant.
17. Ganja and bhang are generally prepared by
the consumers themselves. Majum and alwa used
to be prepared by the sweetmeat makers ; but since
the introduction of the license fee and auction sys-
tems in regard to the retail vend of hemp prepara-
tions, they are prepared and sold by licensed per-
sons. The preparation of hemp drugs is not re-
stricted to any special classes of the people.
18. I have no definite information on these
points. I believe the drugs deteriorate by keeping.
Trade.—The Tahsildar of Bapatla reports that
the quantity of ganja received and retailed in
1892-93 is as shown below :—
Quantity received . .
Seers.
810
Tolas.
21
Do. retailed
. .
698
15
According to the Tahsildar of Guntoor, the
following quantities of ganja were received in his
taluk during 1892-93 and 1893-94 :—
Quantity received.
1892-93 .
Maunds 102 35 seers,
1893-94 .
,,
270
n i l ,
of which 78 maunds were transported to other
taluks.
As noticed above, no record is maintained under
existing orders of the quantities received and
retailed, and absolute reliance cannot be placed on
the above figures.
19. The most common use made of ganja is for
smoking. It is also used in making other hemp
preparations, such as majum, alwa, etc.
20. The chief consumers of ganja seem to be
wandering fakirs, bairagis, and bavajis, and peo-
ple from the north of India. People belonging
to the lower classes, who are addicted to the use of
intoxicants generally, also smoke ganja. Among
Muhammadans are often ganja smokers.
21. Flat ganja is said to be generally used for
smoking in these parts.
22. No information is available.
23. The common notion prevalent about bhang
is that it is a drink and is not used for smoking.
24.Vide reply to question 20.
25. The ganja dealers say that the use of ganja
and bhang and other hemp drugs is on the de-
crease since the time that the traffic in intoxicat-
ing drugs has been brought under regulation; but
this statement is incompatible with the results
of sales of the privilege of vend, which show a
marked increase in the revenue year after year.
In the absence of accurate information as to the
extent of cultivation of the plant and consump-
tion of the drugs, no reliable conclusions can be
drawn, at least so far as this presidency is con-
cerned.
26. I should say that a large proportion of the