PRICKS TN CHIEF CENTRES 



CICER 



ARIETINUJYl 



). 7, 151, 155, 1 63) the results of his chemical investigations. Mr. Moreland 

 investigated the question of the extent to which gram may be used in 



aination of upland wtar soils. [C/. Agri. Ledg., 1901, No. 13, 424.] c 

 I \DIAN TRADE IN QRAM. In a previous paragraph the area has 

 l>.vn accepted as approximately 12,000,000 acres and the yield something 

 53,000,000 cwt. Gram is consumed very largely locally, so that the 

 of foreign trade are comparatively of little value. Gram and 

 lets are very much more the staples of Indian diet than are wheat, 

 rley or rice. A study of the rise and fall in the prices of these grains 

 lords, therefore, a surer indication of the cost of living and of the abun- 

 ice or scarcity of food than can be learned from almost any other 

 imixlity (except perhaps the imports of copper metal). Were it 

 M hit- to prepare a complete statement of the internal traffic in gram, it 

 seen to what extent the resources of one province are drawn upon 

 supply the necessities of another. Unfortunately the record of internal 

 insactions is very much less complete than the returns of articles received 

 >m or delivered to the shipping. 



The total exports have rarely exceeded half a million cwt. In 1895-6 

 ey were returned at 633,199 cwt., but the mean of the decade ending 

 irch 1904 comes to only 335,000 cwt., or 0'632 per cent, of the esti- 

 ited total production. In 1906-7 they were 846,583 cwt., valued at 

 s. 32,31,744. But of the exports a mean of about 35,000 cwt. goes from 

 idras, and should therefore be removed from the returns of Cicer 

 it- tin ii in and credited to those of horse-gram (Dolichos biflorun), 

 that this correction would very possibly bring the exports down to 

 jproximately per cent, on production. A feature of interest in recent 

 turns is the growing importance of Sind (Karachi) as an exporting centre, 

 till another fact may be added, namely that the major portion of the ex- 

 jrts is commonly consigned to Mauritius, but sometimes to the United 

 igdom ; the traffic with the latter, however, seems subject to extreme 

 fluctuations. By the coastwise trade 692,212 cwt. were carried in 1905-6, 

 of which 370,165 cwt. went to Madras, about half from Bombay, and 

 -ixth each from Bengal, Sind and Burma. Of the rail-borne traffic 

 ithing can be said, since gram is collectively returned with pulses. 



Turning now to the available particulars regarding prices of gram, 

 le years 1896 to 1901 have to be excluded from consideration as these 

 fere characterised all over India as years of scarcity and famine. But 

 effect of the increased facilities of railway communication may be 

 lid to have raised the price in centres where it was abnormally cheap 

 id lowered the price where it was abnormally dear. Taking India as a 

 lole the price seems to have been slightly increased, but not dispropor- 

 >nately with other commodities or with wages. In Assam gram sold in 

 at 12*4 seers to the rupee (or say ld. per 2 lb.), and in 1903 at 11 '85 

 jrs. In Bengal for the corresponding years it was 18'1 and 16*71 ; in 

 i- province of Agra 24*12 and 19*8 ; in Oudh 25*66 and 22*54 ; in 

 Rajputana and Central India 21 '36 and 18*31 ; in the Panjab 32*22 and 

 2 1 -i )0 ; in Sind and Baluchistan 20*49 and 15*76 ; in Bombay 18*08 and 14*2 ; 

 in the Central Provinces 26*81 and 17*75 ; and in Berar 19*84 and 14*81. 

 The mean of all these returns would be 21*9 in 1884 and 17*79 in 1903. 

 That is to say one seer (2 lb.) would in the former year have cost 0*7306 of 

 an anna (or of one penny), and in the latter year 0*8939. But the selection 

 of single years for comparison, and the striking of means and averages in 



301 



Reclamation 



Trade. 



.f lu-li-i. 



Indication of 



Eiporbi. 



i per cent. 

 Karachi. 



Mauritius. 



("n,ist\v:-io 



Traffic. 



Prices. 



Famine. 



Equalised 



;>.n. 1 ru*-: 



Average" often 



