Indigo in the North- Western Provinces. 87 



extended in some of the Behar districts. In 1860 

 the amount paid for ryoti indigo in Tirhoot was 

 Rs. 6-8 per bigha for good and Rs. 3 for bad or in- 

 different crops. At the same time, in Bengal Proper, 

 according to the statements of some of the planters 

 of that time, the rate for indigo was from 8 to 4 

 bundles per rupee, a bundle generally averaging 

 somewhat over two maunds in weight. We read 

 in the Indigo Commisson Report, 1860, that Babu 

 P. K. Tagore, in answer to the question, " How many 

 bundles did you take for one rupee ? " replied : 

 " Generally 8 ; but I reduced it to 6, which amount 

 was not remunerative to the ryot" In the Jessore 

 and Hooghly Districts, 8 bundles are frequently 

 mentioned in the Report as being received for 

 I rupee, whilst in Jessore, Babu C. P. Chaudhri, in his 

 evidence before the Commission, stated that he 

 received 10 bundles in the Nuddea District. The 

 ryot was always charged for seed. In paragraph 

 148 of the same Report, the witness states that 

 the produce in bundles from a bigha was 12 to 

 24, and the average 16 bundles. The price of 

 indigo during the time when Babu C. P. Chaudhri 

 carried on his business, averaged Rs. 250 per factory 

 maund. The advances generally made were Rs. 2 

 per bigha. Looking back at the prices paid for 

 indigo in these days, it will be seen that the assami 



