142 
Indian Forest Records. 
[Vol. iVm 
contracts; Most of the lac is brought in by Baiparis who buy from 
the small cultivators and lac thieves. Many contracts are made in 
villages along the borders merely to cloak thefts from Damoh, Rewah 
and other border States. 
Lac, in Katni, is sold through Arhatiyas by the cloth method 
on chaori content. The Arhatiya, who takes Re. I per gon 
(3 maunds 30 seers) from the buyer and 6 or 8 annas per cent, from 
the seller, is generally a substantial merchant and often finances the 
wandering Baiparis. He also very occasionally advances money to 
cultivators on the understanding that the latter sell their lac to or 
through himself. There are no large buyers permanently settled in 
Katni. Agents from Mirzapur, which takes the greater part of the 
yield, come to Katni for each crop. 
There is no manufacture of shellac at Katni. Madan Mohan 
Chaube owns a factory which used to turn out 10 to 15 maunds of 
shellac daily, but it has been closed for many years. Katni is quite 
a suitable site for a factory. The water-supply would not be difficult 
and the climate is favourable. The stick-lac supply is ample in the 
neighbourhood, both from private lands and Government Forests. 
Ghont, the principal local tree, yields high class Baisakhi and Katki 
lacs. Kusum lac can also be obtained from the Raipur side, which 
is in direct communication by means of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. 
Supplies of brood-lac could be arranged by the Forest Depart¬ 
ment, which intends to cultivate departmentally in the Government 
Forest of this district as soon as staff is available. No other Govern¬ 
ment action is necessary. 
Damoh. 
Damoh is of interest as the centre of the Ghont lac area, and 
also as being the only district in which the Forest Department has 
seriously attempted lac cultivation. 
The forest is roughly divided equally between Government and 
private proprietors and both have met with considerable success in 
lac cultivation. The Government Forests lie in the extreme north 
and in the southern half of the district. Around Damoh town the 
country is more open and contains less forest. 
All the lac grown in Malguzari forests is sold in Katni bazar. 
The Forest Department disposes of its hie by auction or negotiation. 
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