48 HAPPY INDIA 



The storage of grain enough to keep fifty millions 

 of people in good health for two years, allowing 

 something also for the cattle, is a matter requiring 

 great consideration. The value of the grain at 2 

 per head per annum would be 200,000,000. For 

 a family of five persons there should be 3,000 Ib. for 

 a year, or 6,000 Ib. for two years ; this would supply 

 them with all the grain they require without any 

 addition, but would leave nothing for cattle. I 

 should be surprised to learn that there are granaries 

 in the country now, in any area containing fifty 

 million people, able to contain half this quantity 

 of grain. But in a country like India, where droughts 

 and famines are so frequent and so deadly, great 

 stores of corn ought to be kept. The Indian cultiva- 

 tors know how to preserve their small stores of 

 grain, and it would be a good thing if each cultivator 

 had his own store that would last a whole year. 

 In great granaries special means have to be adopted 

 to keep the grain in good condition, which involve 

 great outlay of capital and considerable annual 

 expense. 



