Part I] Lindsay and Harlow : Lac and Shellac 131 
propagation, collection, etc. In Gangpur any one may buy lac, but 
must obtain a license costing Rs. 50 in order to do so. The State 
reserves the right to fix a minimum price. As a method of ensuring 
the State share of the revenue, this system is very suitable; and 
by encouraging competition, it secures a fair rate to the cultivator. 
In Keonjhar there is a monopoly lease on a royalty basis, but a 
minimum total annual payment to the State is fixed. In Mayur- 
bhanj State a monopoly lease is granted. The State has an organ¬ 
ized Forest Department which encourages the cultivation of lac. 
The markets for lac are the railway stations along the B.-N. main 
line, particularly Chakardarpur (including Chaibassa) for Mayurbhanj 
and Keonjhar, Raj Gangpur for Gangpur, Raipur (Rajim) for Kala- 
handi. 
The industry is capable of much extension throughout the 
Orissa States, which might well produce more Kusum lac than any 
other area in India. This is the largest area remaining in India 
without any railway, but the Bengal-Nagpur proposed branch 
Raipur-Vizagapatam will pass through Kalahandi and should stimu¬ 
late the industry there ; while the Sini Branch across Singhbhum will 
also undoubtedly stimulate production. 
The State Durbars are fully alive to the importance of lac as a 
source of revenue, and are taking steps to encourage production 
backed up by the State Forest officials, particularly those of Mayur¬ 
bhanj. At present cultivation is only on trees near the villages, and 
is rarely found in the remote jungles. 
Bilaspur. 
Roughly the northern half of the district produces lac, the 
southern half being open cultivated land with very few trees. Small 
clumps of Palas are to be seen occasionally in the fields, but the total 
number is too small to be of importance. Most of the lac area is 
included in the large zamindaris of Matin, Uprora, Pendra and 
Korba, and the principal tree is Palas. 
The only important market is at Pendra on the Bilaspur-Katni 
branch railway. Good crops are, in clean maunds 
Kusmi 
Jethwi 
Baisakhi 
Katki 
... a, 000 
5 °o 
... 20,000 
... 10,000 
