76
His definition of charas is correct. Charas is
the resinous gummy matter which sticks to the
scythe or hand or foot, by which the top flowering
and knot shoot branches of the hemp plant are
cut or pulled out or trodden. This gummy sub
-
stance, which is collected together and converted
into small pills, is called charas. It is more in-
-toxicating than ganja.
The definition of the word ganja is correct,
with this addition, that not only the dried flower
-
ing tops, but the flower bunches that shoot out at
each knot also constitute ganja when trodden.
The crumbles that are collected at the time of
treading down the flowering tops and knot shoots
together with their tiny leaves to make flat ganja
are called bhang, i.e., fragments of the ganja. In
short, bhang and ganja are almost one and the
same in the Deccan. Round ganja is not produced
here, but flat ganja only.
3 to 6. I have not come to know of the growth
spontaneously of the hemp plant in any of the
districts of which I had immediate charge. It is
not produced in the district of Satara, of which I
am the principal witness; consequently answers to
queries from Nos. 3 to 6 are blank.
7. Hemp plant is cultivated in the Satara Col
-
lectorate and in the Aundh State ( a ) for production
of ganja, (b) charas, and ( c) b h a n g , b u t (
d ) n o t
for its fibre or seeds. The extent of cultivation in
the Satara Collectorate, together with the total
produce, can be learnt from the statement prepared
by the Collector of Satara.
8 . O w i n g t o t h e r e s t r i c t i o n p l a c e d b y t h e
Abkari Act on the manufacture, sale, and export
of ganja, the cultivation of the hemp plant is not
on the increase.
9. Hemp plant grows luxuriantly in irrigated
lands of all kinds, whether they be black, reddish,
or whitish. It grows in dry crop land also, pro
-
vided the fall of rain be seasonable and plentiful.
I have seen the hemp plant growing luxuriantly
in an irrigated field of whitish gaonthan land
belonging to a Brahmin gentleman surnamed
Tadpatri in the Rahuri taluka of the Ahmed
-
nagar Collectorate, twenty years ago, while
Assistant Commissioner. I have also seen it
growing in black and reddish sails in the Satara
Collectorate and in the Aundh State. The lands
selected for the hemp cultivation are ploughed and
harrowed in the months of February and March
and manured in the month of May.
T w e n t y - f i v e
cart-loads of manure are required for each acre.
The seed used is from the Nagar Collectorate
generally, because it is supposed to produce a
smaller number of male plants or to give rise to
a smaller number of the plagues hereinafter men
-
tioned. The hemp seed is like múg seed, and
can be had at one seer of 80 tolas per rupee. It
is sown in the month of July generally, and the
crop is reaped in the month of November or
December. It commences to grow within a
week. If the plants grow thicker they are
thinned, and only those at a distance of one inch
apart are allowed to stand. In order that the
crop may not be thick, two of the three holes of
the sowing machine intended for the passage of
the seed are blocked up at the time of sowing.
From one and a quarter to two seers of seed are
required for an acre. The plants are one foot
high within a month, when they are weeded and
the task of rooting out the male plant or plants
affected with plague follows. It is a difficult task
to find. out male plants ; but it can generally be
recognized by the small pin-like white flower
growing in any one of the bunches of the plant
when it is ripe and in the shoots when young.
This is also called the andya plague.
The Mamlatdar of Khanapur informs me that
there are other five kinds of plagues for the hemp
plant called (1) shevarya, (2) haldya, (3) kapshia,
(4) pundia, (5) mora, the plants affected by which
are required to be carefully rooted out in due time.
The shevarya plague is recognized by one of the
branches growing higher and bending down with
a jowari-like grain flower at the end of it. The
haldya plague is recognized by a yellow shoot at
one of the knots of the plant. The kapshia and
pundia plagues can be recognized by a jowari-like
grain on the top of the plant. It transforms
afterwards into a white or yellow flower. The
mora plague, recognized by the yellow flower in
the top bunch, makes its appearance sometimes
fifteen days prior to the reaping of the crop, and
has the effect of destroying the better quality of
the ganja.
No one is able to recognize the male plant and
the plagues with slight observation, and therefore
experts are employed. At the time of reaping the
crop two men are employed, one to cut the flower
top bunches with a scythe, and another man to
pull out the knot shoot bunches. About 520lb
of ganja are said to be produced in an acre when
the crop is superior. Exclusive of the labour of
the cultivator, the expense of producing one acre
of hemp crop is about R60, and including the
cultivator's labour R100. It is worthy of note
that this crop is not eaten by cattle, but by sheep
only, and as sheep are not to be found straying
any where, hemp plants do not require hedging
generally.
10. The agricultural cultivators are the very
persons who cultivate hemp.
11. There is no wild. hemp plant in the Satara
Collectorate.
12. Wild hemp is nowhere especially cultivated
in the Satara district.
13. The cultivation of the hemp plant is not
restricted in the Satara Collectorate and in the
Aundh State. There was a doubt on this point,
but it was cleared by the High Court ruling,
dated 15th November 1888, to the effect that the
mere cultivation of hemp plant is not punishable
under section 43 of the Abkari Act, V of 1878.
The manufacture of the plant into ganja, bhang
and charas alone requires a license. The sale and
export are also covered with passes.
The cultivation is not common to all districts,
nor are ali the cultivators in the habit of culti
-
vating hemp. Such of the cultivators only as find
it profitable cultivate it. I do not think that the
cultivation of the hemp plant is impossible any
-
where, it can be produced in all garden lands.
14. Ganja, charas and bhang are prepared in
the Satara Collectorate by the cultivators thereof.
The extent of the cultivation will be known from
the statement furnished through the Collector.
15. The top bunches and the knot bunches of
the hemp plant are trodden separately, because
they cannot be trodden together properly. The
process of treading goes on till the bunches are
completely flattened. This is called ganja.
The process of preparing charas is simple. The
charas is the resinous gummy matter with which
the scythe or the hand or foot becomes besmeared
at the time of cutting or pulling out or treading
the flower top or knot shoot bunches. This
matter is collected and converted into small pills.