86 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Voi. VIII 
large quantities in Calcutta. The manufacture of crude micanite, 
from alternate layers of mica splittings and shellac, has been started 
at Kodarma, an important mica centre, and should progress to the 
manufacture of the finished article. A considerable quantity of 
shellac is also ifeed in the manufacture of Indian paints, varnishes 
and sealing-wax. Finally there seems to be no reason why India 
should not manufacture and export lac-wax, a hard white wax suit¬ 
able for polishes, and a successful rival to canauba wax. At present, 
however, the proportion of lac required for industrial purposes in 
India is small in comparison with the export trade. 
There have been so many complaints in foreign markets as to 
the speculative character of the shellac 
Speculation. 
trade, the number of unnecessary middle¬ 
men in India and serious fluctuations of Indian prices, that the subject 
calls for special comment. Speculation must be frankly admitted* 
But very few of our foreign critics realize the peculiar circumstances 
of the industry, on which it is hoped that the present chapter will 
have thrown some light. Some 80 million pounds of stick-lac are 
collected during two principal seasons of the year from centres so 
far apart as Hyderabad (Sind) in the west, and the Shan States in the 
east. On the average, no single cultivator is responsible for more 
than a few pounds of this enormous total, and each quota must pass 
through many hands before it finally reaches the manufacturing 
centres on the East Indian and Bengal-Nagpur Railways, from which 
the finished product is railed to Calcutta. Although the expenses 
of propagation and again of manufacture are not high, the expenses 
of collection are considerable ; and in the very nature of the case the 
risks must be distributed amongst a large number of agents, chiefly 
men of small education and less means. As the next chapter will 
show, the foreign demands for shellac are keen and increasing, and 
Calcutta is practically the only source of supply. At the same time, 
estimates of forthcoming crops are, also in the very nature of the case, 
extremely difficult to make ; indeed from the total available quantity 
is never really known until all has come in. 
While the extent of forthcoming supplies is so uncertain the 
extent of the foreign demand is more easily gauged. Every increase or 
decrease of London stocks, qualified by up-to-date information as to 
shipments, is an indication of the weakness or strength of the 
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