MEMORANDUM BY MR. H. V. DRAKE-BROCKMAN.
239
then begins. Only the "bhuttas," i.e., twigs about 12 inches in length which bear the
flowering heads, are picked; they are collected in baskets and emptied into a "khala"
(threshing-floor). At night the whole of the day's cutting is spread out in a layer, 9 to 12
inches thick, and left exposed to the dew till the following morning. The next step is to
press the pickings flat; this is done by men treading them under foot. Several heaps are
formed, which are worked upon in turn, each being turned over and left to dry in the sun
while another is being pressed. This process goes on for four or five days, and the ganja is
then taken to covered sheds where it is stacked to a height of 5 or 6 feet, and kept down
by heavy weights. After remaining in this state for about a week, it is packed tightly in
gunny-bags, and taken to the Government storehouse at Khandwa.
10. Seven days' previous notice of intention to cut the ganja crop has to be given to
the Tahsildar, and the whole crop must be removed to the Government storehouse within
30 days of the date on which permission to cut is granted.
11. The following is an estimate of the cost of cultivating an acre of ganja and of
manufacturing the crop into the article supplied to wholesale vendors:—
Rs. A. P.
Rent paid to Malguzar
3
0
0
First ploughing, 8 days, at Re. 0-12-0
6
0
0
Cost of carting and spreading manure (every third year)
20
0
0
First bakharing, 4 days, at Re. 0-12-0
3
0
0
Second ploughing, 2 days, at Re. 0-12-0
1
8
0
Second bakharing, 1 day, at Re. 0-12-0
0 12
0
Sowing, 1 day, at Re. 1
1
0
0
2 weedings, 4 days, at Re. 1
4
0
0
5 men with kolpas for 5 days
5
0
0
4 examinations, 32 men
8
0
0
3 waterings
4
0
0
12 men for reaping
1
8
0
2 basket carriers from field to khala
0
8
0
6 men for 4 days for pressing
6
0
0
1 cart from khala to sheds
0
8
0
6 gunny-bags
3 12
0
Labour for filling bags
0 12
0
1 cart to Khandwa
1
8
0
Hamalage at Khandwa
0
6
0
Storage in the godown at Khandwa at Re. 0-0-6 per maund per mensem-say
0 12
0
TOTAL
71 14
0
It must be understood that the above estimate is drawn up on the assumption that hired
labour is employed for all purposes. As a matter of fact, however, the cultivators and their
families themselves do almost all the work, and cash payments are limited in practice to the
following.—
Rs. A. P.
Rent
3 0 0
Weeding—say
5 0 0
Reaping and carrying
2 0 0
Pressing
6 0 0
Price of bags
3 12 0
Godown charges—say
1 4 0
TOTAL
21 0 0
The rates adopted are those prevailing in the immediate vicinity of Khandwa; elsewhere
the cost of cultivation would be somewhat less. The average outturn from an acre is 16
maunds, and the average selling price at the Government storehouse, Rs. 4 per maund.
12 The method employed for the cultivation of the plant for seed is precisely the same
as for the production of the ordinary ganja ("mal") as regards preparation of the soil.
Male plants ("naria") are of course essential in this case; most, however, are eliminated.
" Adnaria" plants are all eliminated, as in a field of "mal" ganja. When the seeds have
set the plants are cut down, tied in bundles and dried in the sun. The seed is then threshed
out by hand. Irrigation is not required, and comparatively little attention is paid to the
crop.