CHAPTER XII. 

 INDIGO IN SHAHABAD. 



THE system of indigo cultivation adopted by 

 European factories in the districts of Behar, 

 south of the Ganges, is closely allied to that 

 pursued by the almost universally native concerns 

 in Benares and the North- West Provinces generally. 

 The soil is of a similar kind, and red bangar, which, 

 unlike the bhdt soils of North Behar (the great seat of 

 the indigo industry in India), is non-retentive of 

 moisture. Consequently the sowings in Shahabad 

 and contiguous districts are chiefly carried on dur- 

 ing the rainy season July, August, and September. 



The earlier (rainy weather) sowings are called 

 assarhi, and are cut in September-October of the 

 same season. The later sowings have no special 

 designation at sowing time, though in the following 

 season, when the plant, having been pruned, is cut, 

 it is then called khunti. Perhaps nauda would be 

 a more appropriate name (one which has been applied 

 to assarhi as well), and, in the following pages, nauda 

 will mean the plant which is sown in August-Septem- 

 ber, and cut in the following season during July- 

 August. Assarhi signifies plant sown in Assarh, the 



