trict, due chiefly to its political and industrial position at 

 one time in Bengal, which it has not altogether lost as yet. 

 In Rajshahi also wheat is recognised as an important 

 crop, Rajshahi sharing with Murshidabad the same social 

 and industrial position. The richer classes particularly of 

 Bihar consume wheat bread very largely. With two ex- 

 ceptions, the districts of the Patna and Bhagalpur Divisions 

 may be regarded as the wheat-growing districts of Bengal. 

 The following districts have each more than 50,000 acres 

 under this crop. 



District. Acreage. Percentage of 



cultivated area. 



6'95 

 7-69 



5*i 



10-37 

 6-36 



3 '99 

 4*3i 



8.56 



6-33 

 3'n 

 3'66 



313. Soil, Clay-loam, easy of irrigation, situated in a 

 dry locality, is the best soil to choose for wheat. Sandy 

 loams are also utilised for growing wheat, especially dearh 

 or new alluvial lands, where mixtures of wheat and barley or 

 wheat and mustard or linseed are commonly taken. The 

 best crops of wheat are grown on lands newly brought under 

 canal irrigation. Where canal water is used for irrigation 

 for a number of years the outturn is found to fall off even 

 below the original level. This is due (i) to excessive use of 

 water for irrigation which washes away valuable food particles 

 and brings up to the soil undesirable soluble salts and (2) 

 EE 



