520 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER Of AGRICULTURE. 



AREA IN WHEAT. 



A recent paper published by the Indian Government giving results 

 of an investigation made at the request of the secretary of state for 

 India, makes the following estimates: 



Acres. 



Bengal (Beliar) 850,000 



Northwestern Provinces and Oudh 6, 200, 000 



Punjab 7,000,000 



Central Provinces 4, 000, 000 



Bombay 1,600,000 



Berar 700, 000 



British India (excluding Madras, Burmah, Assam, Mysore, and Sind) . 20, 350. 000 



Native states: Acres. 



Hyderabad 750,000 



Central India agency 2, 500, 000 



Rajpntana agency 2, 500, 000 



Baroda 88, 000 



Total for native states 5, 838, 000 



Total for India (except omitted states and provinces) 26, 188, 000 



The provinces of British India omitted from the above statement were 

 reported in the preceding table for 1878-'79 as having the following 

 areas in wheat: 



Assam 21, 675 



British Burmah 1, 608 



Mysore 13, 853 



y Madras 17, 090 



Sind 407,399 



Total for omitted provinces of British India 461, 625 



PRODUCT AND YIELD. 



Sir Evelyn Baring has estimated the yield per average acre at 700 

 pounds, or llf bushels of GO pounds. Others make a lower average of 

 yield. It is a matter of much doubt whether the real average is more 

 than 11 bushels. Dr. Watson estimated the product of wheat grown 

 under British rule at 240,000,000 to 280,000,000 bushels, and including 

 the native states in the Punjab, Rajputana, Malwa, Bundelkuud, and 

 Guzerat, he placed India above France and Russia, and next to the 

 United States, in wheat production. But the recent investigation above 

 referred to does not sustain these high estimates. With proper regard 

 to " the widely varying skill, energy, and resources of the cultivator," 

 the land in each province is divided into three classes, viz : 



Class I, embracing lands of average good quality, manured and irri- 

 gated. 



Glass II, embracing lands of fairly good quality, and of which the 

 cultivation is so far careful that it includes either manuring or artificial 

 watering. 



Class III, embracing lands of an inferior quality and lands which 

 from some cause or other are inefficiently or carelessly cultivated. 



The following statement shows the estimated yield per acre on land of 

 each class and the estimated average for each of the presidencies and 

 provinces named, the average having been estimated in each case with 

 due regard to the estimated proportion between the different classes of 

 land : 



