Indigo in Shahabad. 



This holding is usually limited to a few 



some old factories have acquired large estatel 



ous ways, partly by buying, partly by perpetual leases,. 



by acquired occupancy rights, gozasla khastkari, in 



fine, by all, and every means rendered legitimate by 



local use or legal acceptation. 



As regards the lands on which the planter grows 

 his indigo. These may have been acquired in any 

 of the above-mentioned ways ; but, if new lands have 

 to be catered for, the procedure resorted to is multi- 

 form, and the offspring of circumstance or opportu- 

 nity. In the factory which I managed for a number 

 of years, the following system of acquiring lands 

 was preferred : 



The factory jemadar or bailiff would go round the 

 village under negotiation, noting carefully those lands 

 which he thought would be suitable for our purpose. 

 I would then, after selection and approval, send him 

 to the holder of the lands with a detailed appli- 

 cation for the area which was required. Should the 

 landholder agree, the fields were forthwith measured, 

 and a lease written out, giving us possession from 

 May of one year to August-September (full moon) of 

 the next inclusive, or 15 months and some odd days. 

 This seemingly unequal term was in order to admit of 

 our cutting our plant in July-August. For, had the 



lease been drawn out on the same terms as usual, 

 R., In. H 



