H. E. ANNETT. 365 



the last three or four years the demand from all these quarters has 

 almost ceased. Cossipore stopped taking it five years ago, since 

 Java sugar has been low in price and they seldom take any 

 now. 



The present market is Calcutta where it is brought to meet 

 up-country demands and largely used for sweetmeat making, and 

 it is also refined by a country process at Sukchar near Calcutta. 

 At Sukchar, Dobarrah and Akbarrah sugars are made in fairly 

 large quantities. 



Molasses. Until the last 3 4 years there used to be a good 

 market for this around Dacca, Myme-nsingh and Barisal Districts, 

 where it was used for mixing with tobacco for the native hookah. 

 Some went to Sylhet where it was largely consumed as a food. Some 

 always went to Calcutta for the rum factories. Since the advent 

 of Java molasses the Sylhet market is cut off and the other districts 

 mentioned only take it when the Java crop is short. The rest 

 goes to Calcutta for making rum and country liquor and for mixing 

 with tobacco. 



Present Condition of the Native Refining Industry. 



Most of the larger towns in the date-sugar-producing districts 

 have their sugar karkhanas (factories), which give to the town a 

 characteristic appearance. In the first place, one is struck by the 

 good quality of the streets within the towns. This is due to the fact 

 that the earthen pots in which the refiners buy the gur, after being 

 smashed to obtain the gur, are thrown in heaps in the street. Dogs, 

 jackals, sheep, goats and cattle may be seen in scores licking the 

 sugar from the pieces. The pieces gradually get broken up and are 

 then spread evenly over the road, and finally get broken down to a 

 powder which makes a splendid road surface. 



Next one cannot help remarking the number of old brick walls 

 and chimney stacks. Each karkhana is surrounded by walls, on 

 which are built godowns for the sugar. Kotechandpur at present 

 reflects the declining state of the industry. One can see all round 



