45 



is unlikely either that the demand will slacken or that persons 

 interested in the trade cease to look to such sources for their 

 supplies. 



The local demand for leather, which is of course very large 

 indeed, is still as from time immemorial chiefly in the hands of 

 Chamars, Moohis and Khojas. Some Chamars and Mochis such 

 as those of Karnal and Ludhiana, are prosperous communities and 

 are in a position to take up any contracts for the supply of boots 

 and shoes. 



The profits from the export trade in hides have attracted 

 firms like Ralli Brothers to embark in the business, and the 

 People's Bank of Lahore and other Indian Companies were 

 for a time largely interested. The hides are collected at 

 convenient centres on the railway by agents of the large firms 

 in the chief centres, Hassan Abdal, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Feroze- 

 pore, Kasur, Multan and Delhi. Apart from the European enter- 

 prise the trade is principally in the hands of Khojas. The prices 

 for undressed hides which the zamindars obtain in districts where 

 the old custom has been superseded are approximately Rs. 7 each. 

 But bullock and cow hides are more valuable, the price for dried 

 skin per maund being about Rs. 40 for cow and bullock hides, and 

 Rs. 33 for buffaloes. 



The trade in bones appears to bring in no profit to the 

 zamindar. The chuhra is allowed to collect the bones, and stack 

 them at convenient centres where they are bought by travelling 

 agents, chiefly Khojas, for the export trade. The price per maund 

 is from 8 annas to 12 annas. 



XIX. SHEEP AND GOATS. 



Sheep and goats are kept in considerable numbers throughout 

 the Province. The higher classes of zamindars consider it beneath 

 their dignity to own these animals, which are usually kept by 

 Gujars or meniuls, The flocks are not infrequently owned by the 

 butchers of large towns, the produce being shared on the half 

 batai system between the owner and the herdsmen. The cost 

 of feeding is practically nil, as the sheep graze on the fallows and 

 the goats on jungle shrubs. Milch goats however occasionally get 

 some cotton-seed. 



Sheep are valued for their wool and skin, for the meat they 

 provide and for their milk. Sheep dung is also highly prized as 

 manure, and it is common in the Western Punjab for flocks to 

 be invited to the wells in order that their droppings may enrich 

 the soil. The landowner even pays for such visits. In Lyallpur 



