84 Indigo in the North- Western Provinces. 



other ways upon the poor contractor when they visit 

 his indigo fields. 



When a ryot, who has contracted with the pur- 

 chaser, does not come up to time with his rent to the 

 zemindar or proprietor of the soil, the standing crop 

 of indigo is liable to be attached for rent. Where 

 this happens, the purchaser always pays the rent due 

 and realises it from the ryot afterwards. The 

 zemindar seldom gives annoyance in a matter of this 

 kind he is amply satisfied with having obtained his 

 rent. The payment of rent by the purchaser is never 

 one of the conditions of the agreement, nor is such 

 an occurrence by any means frequent. 



The indigo harvest commences in August, when 

 a portion of the plant is reserved for seed, which 

 ripens in November. The factory-accounts are made 

 up in October. A ryot contracting to supply in- 

 digo is supposed to realise a profit of one rupee per 

 katcha bigha. He has, however, other sources of 

 income. He has paid his year's rent for his indigo 

 fields, and he makes the best use of the land after 

 the indigo is cut ; whilst, in the event of the khuntis 

 ( second cuttings ) not being left to produce both 

 fecula and seed the following year, the cultivators 

 prepare the land for a rabi or cold weather crop 

 which comes to maturity in January. The khuntis 

 are, in their turn, dug up, and melons sown, at the 



