232
is made in regular rows, with an interval of three
spans between every two rows. A little quantity of
water is poured at the root of every plant at the time
of transplantation. The time for this is generally
October. After transplantation the crop is not water-
ed, but is left to itself. Rain is not much needed ;
one or two showers within the first month after
transplantation will be quite sufficient, and the crop
will thereafter grow with the cool and dewy winds
of the cold season. The fields are ploughed twice
over between the rows of trees just to turn up the
soil and facilitate their growth. The fields become
ripe for cutting in February. This time is deter
-mined by the growth of kalle and the seed in it,
and the change of colour of the whole tree into
yellow.
The trees are cut with the ordinary sickles before
they get dry. This cultivation is analogous to that
of chillies in these parts. The fields range in size
between 1 and 6 acres ; rubbish gatherings in the
cattle stalls and sheep manure are very essential,
and where these are not applied to the field before
the transplantation, the growth of the crop is very
poor.
10. There is no special class of cultivators of this
plant. The raiyats of the village generally grow
this crop in the best portion of their holdings.
11. Wild seeds are not brought into these parts,
nor are they ever used for growing the crop.
12. It is not known to the growers or dealers
of this plant here if wild hemp is anywhere grow-
ing spontaneously or specially cultivated for the
production of ganja.
13. There has been no restriction for the culti-
vation of this plant but that of usage or custom.
It is not known to be grown anywhere in the
Godavery District or Vizagapatam District, and
even in the Nellore District its cultivation seems
to be restricted to only one village of Kuditipalam
in the Nellore Taluk. The special conditions as
regards climate, rainfall, etc., are noticed in the
answer to Question 9. The soil best suited is the
black cotton soil, without any admixture of sandy
or saline soil.
14. Only ganja is prepared by treading under
feet the kalle or dri ed fl ower t ops. What i s cal l ed
bhang in these parts is not any special preparation.
Small leaves also grow up round the kalle. As the
kalle is trodden down, these leaves do not fall off,
but remain with kalle, which assumes the form of
cakes by thus being trodden down. For purposes
of bhang these leaves which fall off when the flat
ganja (cakes above mentioned) is separated into
small pieces, are collected together and used.
15. Ganja is used for smoking only and bhang
for drinking only. The flat ganja is taken up, and
small portions of it are used at a time. When a
bit is taken off from a large cake, the dried leaves
fall off, and the flower portion is then well rubbed
in one palm with the thumb of the other hand and
washed clean in water. This is then again rubbed
with a small quantity of tobacco and then put into
the chillum with fire for smoking. The leaves
separated from the kalle in the above manner are
used for drinking bhang. The leaves are boiled in
water and then ground down into a paste. This
is then put in a cloth and the juice pressed out
between fingers. This juice is then mixed with
milk and sugar and then drunk. Those who can-
not afford milk mix the juice with water and sugar.
As for eating,—the ganja kalle separated from the
leaves is well fried in ghee and then removed, and
the ghee which has then acquired the essence of the
ganja is mixed with sugar, spices, wheat flour, and
other substances, and made into round balls, which
2 3 . B h a n g i s n o t o r d i n a r i l y u s e d f o r s m o k i n g . A m a n w h o s e s t o c k o f g a n j a i s e x h a u s t e d m a y
take to it on the consideration that it is better
than nothing. Its effect in smoking is not so good
or strong as that of ganja.
24. Tide answer to Question No. 20.
25. The dealers say that its use is on the de-
crease, as the area under cultivation is greatly
diminishing since the year 1889 (the first year
of licensing the sale), and as their stocks are
not being fully sold every year. This may
be true, but very difficult to believe when
we consider that the annual rents paid to Govern-
ment are on the increase.
26. The consumers of this drug are never over-
intoxicated. The dealers here have only habitual
consumers as customers. The consumers of ganja
or bhang are seldom beside themselves. A larger
intoxication, but the smoking of ganja is not said
to have such an increasing effect after a certain
stage is reached.
27. The consumers are not known to be danger-
ous to society. They are not known to abuse or
beat others. Bairagis use this as incentive for their
devotional habits, and they seem to be very earnest
in their Bhagana and. other services, after they
partake of this in company. The heads of native
athletic schools called vastads are said to use bhang
are then eaten under the different names of majum
and halva. No other process of eating is known
in these parts.
16. Yes; it is generally prepared in houses. (No
experience of wild plant in this country.)
17. Only majum and halva are said to be pre-
pared and sold in town licensed ganja shops. The
other preparations, ganja balls for smoking and
bhang juice for drinking, are not sold in shops, but
they have to be prepared by the consumers at
the time required. There are no special classes of
people for this business.
18. Majum or halva is said to last a month after
its preparation, but it gradually loses its taste day
by day. Ganja balls are not made at a time and
kept for use afterwards, because ganja loses its
effect when it dries up. Bhang also is not made
except at the time of use because of its liquid
nature and connection with water ; it will not
last longer than a day at the highest in a drinkable
state.
Trade .—Though the sale of hemp drugs was
licensed in 1889, no accounts seem to have been
furnished till last year, 1892-93. The figures
supplied by the renter for that year show that a
quantity, 698 seers and 15 tolas, of ganja was
sold by retail. No information was given about
the quantity exported. This information, I regret,
is very meagre and incomplete, but more particu-
lars are not available.
19. Ganja is used only for smoking in these
parts.
20. Smoking of ganja is practised to a very
limited extent. It is generally prevalent among
bairagis, and. among the settled population it is
used very secretly irrespective of class or caste.
Agricultural people and merchant class and Brah-
mins, who abstain generally from intoxicating
drinks, are very sparing in its use also, and it may
be considered as being more common with the still
lower classes of people.
2 1 . O n l y f l a t g a n j a i s u s e d i n t h e s e p a r t s .
22. Chains is not made here or imported from
elsewhere.