39 
Part I] Lindsay and Harlow*: Lac and Shellac 
Mr. C. A. Malcolm, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Saugor 
Division, has kindly supplied statistics 
showing the cost of lac cultivation on 
Ghont trees in that division under the Damoh system. On these the 
following are based. A well-stocked area should contain at least 40 
trees per acre. Assuming a coupe of 300 acres or 12,000 trees, two 
lac guards will be required to supervise the work and a quarter share 
of the services of an Overseer. Omitting all cost of brood-lac, which 
will be obtained from the previous coupe, the cost for one cropping 
series, taking an average of six months’ work, is as follows. The 
Overseer draws Rs. 25 per mensem but can look after four series. 
Six months’ pay is Rs. 150 of which Rs. 37-8-0 is debitable against 
each felling series. Two guards on Rs. 12 each for six months, 
Rs. 144. Each tree on an average will require infection in say 10 
places. Coolies working in pairs and collecting their own brood can 
fix at least 150 bundles each and infect 15 trees daily or 400 during 
the season.' The infection of a coupe of 300 acres will, therefore, 
employ 25 to 30 coolies for about one month. Collection of both 
phunki brood-lac and the lac from the previous coupe will take some¬ 
what less time. Each tree will produce in a good season 3 to 5 seers 
of lac. Assuming 1 seer only as a moderate average the total yield 
will be 300 maunds. 
Details of cost:— 
Quarter services of one Overseer on Rs. 25 per mensem 
for 6 months 
Two guards on Rs. 12 each for 6 months ... 
Pruning 12,000 trees, say 
Infecting 12,000 trees, say 
Collection, dry cleaning, etc., of 300 maunds at Rs. 4... 
300 bags 
Depot charges 
Carting at annas 8 per maund ... 
Sundries 
Total 
or Rs. 10 per maund. 
During 1912 the Calcutta price of biuli lac varied from 
Rs. 11-12-0 to Rs. 15 per maund and during 1913 from Rs. 15 to 
Rs. 26. Prices secured during 1918 to 1920 have, of course, been much 
higher. It is clear, therefore, that the profits on the departmental 
[39] 
Rs. a. p. 
37 8 o 
144 o o 
750 o o 
300 o o 
1,200 O O 
225 o o 
100 o o 
150 o o 
93 8 o 
3,000 o o 
