INDIGO. 



359 



indigo powder, which can easily be obtained by rubbing and grinding 

 the indigo lumps. By closely observing the above directions a 

 person will be less at fault in his selection of an indigo, as some 

 show a greenish colour, break with a brownish edge, and have white 

 veins through, or show white veins in the heart of the lump. 



The quantity of indigo exported year after year is largely de- 

 pendent on the crops, the culture of which is always very uncertain ; 

 but the value fluctuates according to the needs of the European 

 markets and the abundance or otherwise of supplies from South 

 America, as well as the quality of the dye produced in India. The 

 chest of indigo from Bengal weighs about 260 lbs. 



The following shows the total exports of indigo from British India 

 to foreign countries for the last thirteen years : 



Year, 



1863 

 1864 

 1865 

 1866 

 1867 

 1868 

 1869 

 1870 

 1871 

 1872 

 1873 

 1874 

 1875 



Quantity. 



Value. 



cwts. 

 101,115 

 81,898 

 87,010 

 85,752 

 84,504 

 86,162 

 99,206 

 98,085 

 103,184 

 115,414 

 115,312 

 115,980 

 81,466 



1,860,141 



1,823,926 

 2,893,823 

 3,178,045 

 3,192,503 

 3,687,762 

 3,426,824 

 3,555,299 

 2,576,302 



The falling off in the exports of 1874-5 followed on one of the 

 shortest crops ever known in Bengal, which province is the chief 

 seat of the indigo industry. Exports from Madras were also much 

 below those of the previous year. 



The value of the indigo exported from British India ranges from 

 1,750,000/. to a little over 3,500,000/. a year. It is however a very 

 variable crop. 



The following shows the fluctuations in the money value of the 

 indigo exported, leaving aside the quantity retained for local use ; 



1851 1,980,896 



1871 3,192,503 



The Commissioner of Sind is directing attention to the cultivation 

 of indigo in Upper Sind and in different parts of the Kurrachee 

 Collectorate. The soil there is the same as that on which indigo is so 

 successfully raised in Bengal. The government are willing to encou- 

 rage the ryots, with whom the cultivation is rising in favour, to extend 

 it, by offering rewards to the most successful among them, and giving 

 long leases of land to parties who will venture on the speculation on 

 a large scale. Nothing will be effectually done till Europeans and 

 European capital are engaged on it, and a fee-simple of the land will 

 soon draw these to Sind. 



In 1870 there were 267,000 acres under indigo in the Madras Pre- 



