Indian Forest Records. [Vol. VIII 
The largest dealers in Chatra are 
Hari Baksh Seth, Marwari 
Sowa Lai Seth 
Bansi Lai Agarwala. 
There are two small factories in Chatra belonging to :— 
Hari Baksh Seth 
Sowa Lai Seth, 
but neither is large enough to be really important. 
Hazaribagh district is most favourably situated for Government 
action to improve the lac industry, as the greater part of the lac- 
growing area is in the Ramgarh Court of Wards Estate. The selec¬ 
tion, and if necessary the acquisition, of areas for brood farms and the 
introduction of machinery for the distribution of brood, etc., should 
not be difficult. 
Palamau. 
Palamau is one of the most important lac districts, being second 
only to Manbhum. Most of the lac grown is on the Palas tree, 
patches of which are a common feature all over the district. Very 
little lac is grown on Ber or Kusum, though the latter is a common 
tree in the more heavily wooded and hence more sparsely populated 
parts of the district. The reason why Kusum is not much cultivated 
is because it is a tree of the forest and not of the open country, and 
also because it is never gregarious. Its cultivation requires consider¬ 
able care and attention, and hence is unpopular despite the fact that 
it yields a larger quantity and better quality of lac than Palas. 
Further, Palamau is a field for the recruitment of coolies for the tea 
districts. Labour is thus not so plentiful as it would otherwise be, 
and, what there is, is fully employed in agriculture. Hence there 
is practically no chance of lac cultivation being developed except in 
suitable areas within easy reach of existing villages. 
The Palamau zamindars claim all rights over trees capable of 
producing lac, and this is frequently their chief source of income. 
They usually make a simple verbal settlement with their raiyats from 
whom they secure as high a rate as possible; four annas per tree is 
a common rate. In addition, many zamindars auction to Baiparis 
the rights of collection within their estates. Whether the zamindar 
helps the Baipari to enforce his monopoly or not, is a risk which the 
latter must face ; and, on the whole, this method of sale is not usually 
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