Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/235

 BAH

157

They live on the wild fruit of the gdlar, the corolla of the mahua, the calyx of the semal or cotton tree in Gonda-Bahraich. I have repeatedly heard the comparatively good effect of these diets discussed recently. The demand for grain does not increase, and the Banian does not raise his prices till he finds that more people are "willing and able to buy than he can supply. So in XJtraula, BaJrampur, and Nanpara, prices have not risen high. The people have no m.oney and no employment, so they do not compete for the stores remaining. There are as yet supplies of grain in the immediate vicinity. fair spring harvest of wheat is rapidly ripening, and here we find another principle at work, checking the upward tendency of prices in fact, there are so many crops that there is always a chance or a probability of one or other turning out well If a grain-dealer holds out for the rising rates, he may be disappointed and find himself foiled by the new harvest coming into the market. On the other hand, a Liverpool merchant knows pretty well that when one crop is harvested no new one can come in for a twelve month he can tell what the supplies are and what scarcity will occur.

A





This year the October rice harvest did pretty well the November one was a failure, but the maize, kodo, and m£sh reaped in those months have done tolerably well. Wheat, which will be ripe in the middle of March, arhar and gram are doing badly, but s^nwan is being is doing very well now largely sown, to be reaped in May, and it may turn out well.



So the prices, for

local dealer at these extremities of civilisation does not raise his the few who now buy from him would become still fewer, and his

stock might suddenly be thrown on his hands nor does the foreign dealer send cargoes to these places, for an additional supply would not be taken up by the famishing at the previous rate; it would supply a slightly larger Grain, in fact, circle at a slightly lower rate, and it would go off very slowly. will only seek a mart where there is not only a high price, but also plenty of money causing an effectual demand.

then, high prices of former years were not accompanied by famine, indicate ? Most probably they were the result of real high prices caused by scarcity elsewhere, although in these parts labour and money or grain were sufficient for the maintenance of the people. In these parts the people are extremely poor and have no savings if not mere ordinary rates for the staples would not be beyond their means, as they now Generally we may say that there are numerous factors of what is are. commonly called famine. If,

what do they



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First. ^Want of employment for the day-labouring class. This has happened in Nanpara, where the rice crop died, and the annual labourers were turned off, because their masters had no stores of food wherewith to

feed them.

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Second. Deficiency of grain in the store-houses and in the field. We cannot tell whether this has happened or not. The wheat Crop is a good one so far it may have been, and apparently has been, sown on a much more extensive area than usual. It may largely make up for other fail;

ures.