*33 
Part I] Lindsay and Harrow : Lac and Shellac 
The principal markets in the district are at Rajim, Dhamtari 
and Arang. Dhamtari has a very important feeder bazaar at Balod 
in the neighbouring district of Drug. The annual outturn from these 
markets is, roughly, in maunds of clean stick-lac :— 
Kusmi. 
Jethwi. 
Baisakhi. 
KatU. 
Rajim 
20,000 
10,000 
2,000 
2,000 
Dhamtari (including Balod) 
10,000 
5,000 
1,000 
1,000 
Arang 
5,000 
2,000 
2,000 
1,000 
These bazaars are therefore important principally for the Kusum 
lac they produce. The total quantity is small, but is capable of 
almost indefinite extension as the Kusum tree is very common 
throughout the whole tract and in the Feudatory States of Kanker, 
Bastar and Kalahandi, all of which supply lac to these markets. 
Communications are very poor within the district, but the pro¬ 
posed railway from Raipur to Vizianagram will open up much of 
the eastern part of the district and will pass through Arang. If the 
Rajim line is extended to the south-east, it will undoubtedly stimu¬ 
late the lac trade. 
Most of the lac-producing areas are in the hands of large 
zamindars who give out annual monopoly leases to contractors. The 
latter take no interest in cultivation, but buy the lac from the cultiva¬ 
tors at pre-arranged rates. 
The system of sale in the big bazaars is generally by negotiation, 
the seller hawking samples round to the various buyers and selling 
to the highest bidder. Sales are generally by the clean bojha of 12 
maunds (1 lac maund - 16 standard seers). A bojha is therefore 192 
seers or approximately 4^ standard maunds. Discount for stick 
and dust is always considered in fixing the price, but a new bojha of 
5 maunds and 10 chattaks is starting in Rajim which is supposed to 
consist of— 
Clean lac ... ... .„. ... 192 seers 
Dust ••• ... ... ... ... 4 „ 
Stick ... * ... ... ... 4 M 10 ch. 
The principal regular buyers are agents from Mirzapur, Jhalda, 
Balarampur and Purulia. JjThese are generally central collecting 
O33J 
