Part I] Lindsay and Harlow’: Lac and Shellac 129 
SlNGHBHUM. 
Lac grows wild or is cultivated almost throughout this district. 
The principal species on which it grows are Kusum and Ber, but it 
also grows on Ruta {Ougeinia daibergioides), Hesa {Ficus Rumphii), 
Lea {Ficus glomerata ). Cultivation is in the hands of tenants, 
mostly of aboriginal races, who generally utilize trees (for which they 
pay no separate rents) on their home lands and gardens. For the 
cultivation of trees standing in village forests they pay two annas 
per tree to the village headman, who in Government Estates pays 
this amount into the treasury. When the lac crop is reaped the 
cultivators bring it into local markets and dispose of it to Baiparis, 
who practically rule the markets and are frequently agents of 
Arhatiyas and dealers in Chaibassa and Chakardarpur. The principal 
markets are at Chaibassa, Chakardarpur, Gamaria, Tatanagar, Jagan- 
nathpur and Jaintgarh. It is not possible to estimate the trade of 
each of these markets separately, but in a good year the total crops 
are about:— 
Kusmi 
... 
Maunda. 
... 15,000 
Jethwi 
... 
... 
... 
... 
... 10,000 
Baisakhi 
... 
... 
... 
... 30,000 
Katki 
... 
... 
... 
25,000 
The whole of this lac, however, does not come from Singhbhum 
district. About one-half comes from Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and 
other Feudatory States. 
The principal Arhatiyas and dealers are :— 
Mithai Lai 
Hiralal, Marwari 
Jokhiram, Marwari 
Sashi Bishun Kundu 
Petambar Dalai 
Hari Pada Datta 
Kedar Datta 
Ram Kamak Datta 
Mangi Lai, Marwari. 
Mithai Lai has a factory in Chakardarpur. Most of the lac 
from the district is sold to dealers and manufacturers from Bala- 
rampur. 
[129] 
