40 HAPPY INDIA 



average at the present time is about 2,000 Ib. weight 

 of grain per acre. It varies from much less, say 

 half that, 1,000 Ib. per acre, up to much more, 

 4,000 Ib. per acre. Both these are extremes, and the 

 ordinary production is somewhere near the average 

 above given. Now, in India the average production 

 of wheat (Statistics of India, 1921 [No. 1344] ) in the 

 whole of British India, including irrigated and unirri- 

 gated land, average of eight years ending 1920, was 

 690 Ib. of grain per acre, or rather more than one-third 

 of the average British production. 



The wheat crop of India is the second most impor- 

 tant crop, and about ten million tons of wheat are 

 produced in a year. Over a great part of India 

 the climate is in an average year favourable to a 

 wheat crop. The Indian agriculturalist is a clever, 

 capable, hardworking man, so that in the average 

 year he ought to produce a large crop ; it certainly 

 ought to be equal to the English crop. Now, in 

 England the people do not depend upon their wheat 

 crop for their wealth, the chief wealth is produced 

 from their mines and manufactures ; and whether 

 they have a good corn harvest or a bad harvest, 

 they can still get along very well. A bad harvest of 

 wheat in England is generally the result of too much 

 rain, but this rain is good for grass and roots, so the 

 cattle have plenty. But a bad harvest in India comes 

 from want of rain, and not only the corn crops, but 

 grass and every other crop fails. It means ruin and 

 starvation, and yet every year in India as regards 

 the wheat crop they have what the British farmer 



