PREFACE. 



In the present state of the Indian sugar industry it is desirable 

 to investigate all sources of sugar production in this country. That 

 the Palm sugar industry is of no small importance the following 

 memoir will shew. It is proposed, if circumstances permit, to 

 thoroughly examine the state of the industry as it exists in different 

 parts of the country. In this memoir a beginning has been made 

 in Bengal where the Wild Date Palm (Phoenix sylvestris) is such 

 an important sugar producer. It is hoped later to carry out 

 similar work with other sugar producing palms in Madras. 



My thanks are due to Dr. J. W. Leather, Imperial Agricultural 

 Chemist, who first called my attention to the industry. I have much 

 pleasure in acknowledging the great help given to us in our work 

 by Messrs. E. G. and H. C. Macleod of Kotechandpur, Jessore. 

 Their intimate knowledge of the sugar trade and of the people of 

 Jessore has been invaluable to us. Mr. E. G-. Macleod kindly 

 provided us with accommodation for our camp laboratory and 

 without his aid much of our work would have been impracticable. 



H. E. ANNETT. 



