56 THE GOSPEL AND THE PLOW 



A moldy Bible or moldy pair of shoes during this season 

 is no particular discredit to their owner. The humidity 

 is very favorable to the growth of molds of every kind. 

 This also is the season of prickly heat and boils, both 

 of which need strong counter-irritants in order that the 

 mind may be diverted from them. During the hot sea- 

 son and the rainy season the effort to keep alive absorbs 

 most of one's energies. Under such conditions, which, 

 with some variations, are common to the ''plains" of 

 India, mill and factory life with their regular hours, 

 hard, confining work, have little attraction for the 

 Indian. Every large non-agricultural industry in India 

 has great difficulty in obtaining an adequate supply of 

 labor. Until the general standard of living be raised 

 an increase in wages may result only in the workman 

 working fewer days in the month. Increase of money 

 is not so necessary as a ''divine discontent" with his 

 present standard. An increase of desire must precede 

 any rise in the standard of living. 



Not only is the climate against mill and factory life 

 but the fact that in India the growing season for crops 

 lasts for twelve months as against six months per year in 

 the northern United States also favors Indian farming. 

 In late October and early November wheat, barley, peas, 

 mustard, linseed, potatoes and vegetables are sown. 

 These crops are reaped normally before April 10th. 

 Sugar cane is sown from January to March, reaped and 

 crushed from December to March, cotton sown from 

 March to July is picked from August to December. The 

 fodder crops, which include sorghums, millets, maize, 

 and pigeon peas and the seeds of the castor oil plant and 

 the plant family which includes watermelons, cucum- 

 bers, and squash are sown with the coming of the rains 



