260 



THE WILD DATE PALM OF INDIA. 



sugar ; so tliat the average yield of each tree is seven or eight pounds 

 of sugar annually. Now taking a pint to be equal to 1^ pow or 

 Bengali liquid measure, each tree according to this calculation would 

 appear to yield one maund and 27^ seers of juice ; and if 9 seers or 

 24 pints produce three-fourths of a seer of goor, we have 5f seers of 

 goor as the average yield of a tree, which ai Es. 2 per maund would 

 amount to 4 annas 8 pie per tree ; this is a rather low estimate, 

 looking to the fact that the expenses have yet to be taken into ac- 

 count. In estimating 12 annas as the more correct basis of the 

 average yield of a tree, I have not taken into consideration the 

 expenses that are incurred by the ryot in the preparation of goor. 

 In a garden of two hundi*ed trees the ryot has to lay out — 



Ks. a. p. 



For fuel 10 



For two dao 6 



For purchasing jute 080 



Pots and pans 550 



Rent of two beegalis of land, at 2-8 per 



beegah 5 00 



Eent paid to zemindar for keeping up a 

 bain (sugar-boiling stove), at 1 anna 3 

 pie per eye ; 6 pie for two side eyes, six- 

 teen openings in all 13 



Total .. 22 6 



Or 1 anna 9 pie per tree. 



This supposes that the ryot cuts his own trees, assisted by his sons, 

 but this is seldom the case. He has to engage a gaclii (cutter) and a 

 Mieri (his assistant) for the season, to whom he has to pay at the 



following rate — 



Es. a. p. 



Gachi (cutter) for the season 22 



Food for five months, at Rs. 2-8 . . . . 12 8 



Cloths 12 



Shoes 8 



Total 36 2 



Es. a. p. 



Kheri (assistant) Rs. 9 for the season . . 9 

 Food for five months, at Rs. 2-8 .. .. 12 8 

 Two cloths .. 180 



Total 22 



Total servant charge, Rs. 58-2, or 4 annas per tree. 



Total expense for two hundred trees, Es. 80-8, or 6 annas per 

 tree, which leaves a clear profit of 6 annas for every tree to the 

 ryot, besides the advantage he enjoys for raising a cold-weather or 

 dhan crop in the soil occupied by the date garden. 



The wood of the date tree is used as beams and posts in mat 

 houses, and as ladders in tanks and ghats ; it is also employed in 

 constructing temporary bridges over khals and drains. 



