143 
Part I] Lindsay and Harrow.;: Lac and Shellac 
The annual yield from private forests is about 3,000 maunds, chiefly 
Katki. The yield of Katki from Government Forest in 1919-20 was 
4,500 maunds, the largest yet known. As the work has only been 
taken up seriously during the last two years it is very difficult to make 
an estimate of its ossibilities, but if conditions remain favourable 
it is likely that an annual crop of 10,000 maunds will eventually be 
reached. The principal difficulties to contend with are :— 
(a) the supply of labour for propagation and collection 
(&) the prevention of theft. 
The recent boom in the price of lac has encouraged the organiza¬ 
tion of gangs of lac thieves in Damoh district, whose methods are said 
to be very efficient. The profits of their trade are so great that they 
are able to spend money lavishly in preparing for their exploits. 
One gang is credited with retaining a pleader to defend them against 
criminal charges. Experience has shown that the best way to defeat 
them is by a well-manned and well-paid protective staff, which will 
work in conjunction with the police. The Local Government has 
recently issued rules under section 41 of the Forest Act which will 
help in the detection of stolen lac in transit. 
The private forests are worked either by contractors or by the 
owners themselves —usually men of substance who are sufficiently 
alive to their own interests to make proper provision for the supply 
of brood-lac. The Government Forests are ample and very suitable 
for the demonstration of improved methods. In 1919, owners of lac 
forests and others interested were invited to a demonstration of the 
methods employed by Government. 
The principal growers of lac are :— 
Goulal Chanda, Malguzar of Mariadoh 
Pasan Kawat, Malguzar of Tendukhera 
Nur Khan, Contractor of Damoh 
The Raja of Hatri near Damoh. 
SAUGOR. 
The principal lac area in Saugor district is in the south and 
east along the Damoh border. The north-west (Khurai Tahsil) is 
more open country and contains much less tree growth. Ghont is 
the principal tree. There are extensive Government Forests in the 
south and east and they include a large part of the lac area. During 
recent years the Forest Department has undertaken the cultivation 
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