86 HAPPY INDIA 



With green manure and superphosphates the crop 

 was, grain 1,451 lb. and straw 2,330 Ib. 



In a book called The Indian Problem Solved, 

 published by Virtue, Spalding & Co. in 1875, the 

 author quotes the evidence of Mr. Ashburner, C.S.I., 

 Revenue Collector, to this effect : " The present 

 production does not amount to one-quarter of what 

 the land ought to produce. The want of proper 

 manure is one thing, the ignorance of proper methods 

 of cultivation is another." " Very little has been 

 done to utilise night soil " ; there is no prejudice 

 against its use. The Ryots " want capital." The 

 expenditure of 18 rupees per acre on manure caused 

 the following increases in the amount of grain 

 produced per acre. The increase varied from 

 540 lb. up to 900 lb. of grain, and the weight of straw 

 increased from 2,808 lb. to 7,380 lb. 



Sir Bartle Frere, giving evidence before a Select 

 Committee in 1871, said : " No system of mineral 

 manuring has been attempted in India. There is 

 a great waste of manure in fuel owing to the want 

 of firewood. The forests have been recklessly cut 

 down." 



It is very easy to go on quoting men of great 

 eminence who have declared that one of India's 

 chief wants is manure for the soil in order to maintain 

 its fertility, and in order to increase the crops that 

 are now given. Manures of many kinds in great 

 quantities are necessary, and among these, so far 

 as it goes (and it is a long way short of the need), 

 one of the best for increasing the fertility of the soil 



