PRICES AT TWO CENTRES 303 



be considerably above the average struck on the prices 

 of the twelve months.'* This little note is useful to 

 anyone studying Mr. Evans's tables with attention, 

 because it will explain why the failure of the rains in 

 1837 is not reflected in the price he quotes for that 

 year, though it is very clearly shown in the famine 

 price (15 seers to the rupee) of the succeeding year. 

 The latter half of Baisakh corresponds with the first 

 half of May, and therefore at the time of deciding the 

 value of the crop the failure of the rains in 1837 could 

 not be anticipated. 



To return, however, to the prices of Farukhabad 

 and Agra. Although the two districts are governed 

 by the same general climatic conditions, the prices 

 obtained for barley differed in the most marked manner 

 on several occasions. Thus in 181 3 barley was selling 

 at 25 seers in Agra, and at 66 seers in Farukhabad. 

 In 1817 the case was reversed: in Agra the price was 

 40 seers, and in Farukhabad it had reached the famine 

 price of 21 seers. The terrible famine of 1837-38 left 

 its mark equally on both markets; but in 1843 and in 

 1849 Agra suffered from two local famines, while 

 Farukhabad was in the enjoyment of prosperity, 

 indicated by a price of 55 seers to the rupee. The 

 first of these two cases is the more remarkable of the 

 two, for the tendency of prices in the two centres for 

 this year is in exactly the opposite direction. In 1842 

 the price at the two markets was nearly the same — 

 Farukhabad 36 seers, and Agra 40 seers. In Faruk- 

 habad in the following year the price fell to 55 seers, 

 whereas in Agra the price rose to 20 seers. In 1854 

 Farukhabad suffered a scarcity which is revealed in 

 the price-lists by the rate of 28 seers, whereas Agra 

 was in this year enjoying the abundance indicated by 

 a price of 50 seers to the rupee. Both districts suffered 



* I understand this to refer to the Indian method of estimating 

 the value of grain — viz., so many seers to the rupee. By this calcula- 

 tion, a high rate — i.e., many seers to the rupee— means a low price. 



